1 28 J 
the Beringin on Waringin tree (Ficus benjamwd) are in season. 
It is of brown colour generally, but its under tail coverts are 
sulphur yellow. Brighter colours we find in the Green Bulbul 
or B. d^un {CMoropsis zosierops), in the Gold-fronted Green Bulbul 
{Ckhropsis aurifrons), which is so frequently kept as a cage-bird, 
and especially in the beautiful Malayan Fairy Blue Bird or 
Murai gajah {Irena cyanca). A very pretty bird is the small 
Red-whiskered Bulbul {Otocompsa enter in— (^._/V)£'0jrf),of brownish 
colour with a tuft of crimson feathers just behind the eye. It 
has a sweet song and is a favourite cage-bird. 
BABBLERS. 
The Babblers range from Africa through Southern Asia 
and China to Australia- We mention only a few birds of this 
large group. The Black-gorgeted Laughing Thrush {Garrulax 
pectoralhh U a big and handsome bird, It is olive brown in 
colour, with a white throat and a broad black band descending 
from the sides of the head to the breast. Much smaller is 
Abbott's Thrush-Babbler {Tto'dinns ahboUi), of olive brown 
colour. The Silver-eared Mesia {Mesia argetttauris), ranging 
from the Himalayas to the Perak Hills, is so called on account 
of its silvery-white ear-coverts. With its varied plumage and 
the deep orange af chin and throat it is certainly the prettiest 
of the Babblers. 
THRUSHES. 
The Thrushes are a cosmopolitan group and include some 
of the finest songsters, A few of them feed on fruit, but the 
majority on worms and insects. The Black and White Robin, 
also called the Magpie Robin, the ' B. murai ' of the Malays, 
{Copsychus saularis), is perhaps the best known of all Singa- 
pore birds. Both his appearance, hopping about on grassy 
plots, and his sweet song are familiar to every one. But the 
best songster is the Shama or Burmese Nightingale, called 
B. murai batu by the Malays, ( Cittocwchla macntru)^ Its general 
colour is black, the lower back being white and the abdomen 
chestnut. Its tail is long and is black above and white below, 
A very handsome Thrush is the Chestnut-backed Forktail 
{Hydrockhla ruJicapUia). Its plumage is black and white, with 
the exception of the crown of the head and of the upper back, 
which are brown. 
WARBLERS. 
The Warblers are generally of small size and plain plum- 
age, but they include some excellent songsters. They are Old 
