CATALOGUE. 
749 
Dicaeum croceoventre, Vigors, Mem. 'Raffles, p. 673 
(1830). Motley et Dilwyn, Nat. Hist. Lahuan, 
p. 17. 
Beong Nalow, Malay, BlytJis Catal. 
BuEONG BuNGA Api, Malay, LabuaD, Motley. 
a.h. $ ? . Tenasserim. From Heifer's Collection. 
c. d. Malacca. From Griffith's Collection. 
e. Drawing. Sumatra. {B. croceoventre, Vig.) From 
Raffles's Collection, 
/ g. h. i. ^ ? . Pinang and Malacca. Presented by 
Dr. Cantor, 1854. 
Inhabits Arracan, Tenasserim, Malayan peninsula, Pinang, Sumatra, 
and is " not uncommon in Labuan." 
" These little birds are not uncommon in Labuan, and have some- 
thing of the habits of the English Begulus ; they haunt low brush- 
wood, and continually utter a low shrill chirp ; they are very fearless, 
allowing themselves to be almost touched before they take to flight. 
The Malay name, which signifies spark-bird, is very appropriate, 
as, when darting about among the bushes, the cock-bird really looks 
as bright as a flash of fire. The nest of this species is about the 
shape and size of a goose's egg, and is suspended by the small end 
from some slender twig of a tall tree : it is built of fine green moss 
and a sort of brown byssus, and lined with some white fibre and a few 
small feathers. One of these nests was found on a tree which was 
felled in the jungle ; all the young birds, however, except one, had 
been killed by the fall ; the survivor was brought to Mrs. Motley, 
who succeeded, by great care, in bringing it up, feeding it at first 
upon rice and banana pulp. As soon as it was strong enough it was 
placed in a small cage; though very restless, never being for one 
moment still, it was perfectly tame and fearless, and would sit upon 
the finger without attempting to fly away ; and though its whole 
body, feathers and all, might have been shut up in a walnut, it would 
peck at a finger held towards it with great fierceness : for a long time 
it would only take food from the hand, but afterwards, when food was 
given, it dropped and shook its wings rapidly, as we see a hen par- 
tridge occasionally do. At first its beak was short, straight, and 
sharp, but as it grew, its form gradually changed to that of the adult 
DiccBums ; it also changed its diet altogether, refusing rice, and only 
occasionally taking plantain ; for some weeks it fed exclusively upon 
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