IN CAPTIVITY IN LOWER BENGAL. 193 



red ; the head sub-crested ; the feathers being irregular and ruffled ; ail 

 about the head greyish-black ; ear coverts, chin, throat, breast and flanks, 

 grey or whitish-grey ; abdomen whitish ; under tail coverts grey, having 

 a broad white margin. 



Sab. — Found in the Himalayas up to an elevation of about 9,000 feet, 

 its western limit is as far as Murree, and to the east it extends through 

 the Assam Valley to Sylhet, Oachar, Manipur, and Arracan. 



Length or life in captivity. 

 Nearly three years. 



Treatment in health. 



Housing. — It is often kept as a pet in a small cage, but it does 

 equally well in a large aviary. 



Food. — Satoo made into a paste with water and a modicum of ghi 

 or prepared with boiling ghi, fruits, insects, and maggots. Like Shamas, 

 they may be fed on minced meat also. 



Treatment in sickness. 



The mortality among them is greater during the period of moulting, 

 and as the majority of the deaths occur from drowning, they may be 

 explained by the fact that the birds, being very helpless on account of the 

 loss of feathers, fall easily into the water of the tank inside an aviary 

 and are drowned. To prevent such accidents a piece of coarse cloth or 

 fisherman's net should be stretched over the tank in the evening and 

 removed every morning. 



Observations on the habits of the Himalayan Black Bulbul. 



It is extremely sociable in habit, and when caged is a nice pet ; 

 is mostly arboreal, being seldom seen on the ground. The period of 

 moult lasts very long, and while moulting it loses much of the bright 

 orange-red colour of its legs and beak. It whistles beautifully. 



(29) THE BENGAL KED-VENTED BULBUL. 



(MOLPASTES BENGALENSIS— {Blyth.) ) 



Hindi — Bulbul. Bengali — Bulbul. 



Very common in most parts of Bengal; also found in Northern 

 Behar and Oudh ; it ascends the Himalayas up to about 7,000 feet, and 

 is distributed along their lower ranges from Kumaon to the Assam 

 Valley. 



Length of life in captivity. 



No accurate record has been kept ; it is a hardy bird, and under 

 favourable circumstances bears captivity well. 



