The Red- tailed M'mla. 
"in (he midst of which nishos the roaring, foaming river. Tho (rnnlrs 
" and larger branches of thn trees are covered with ferns and hanging' 
" moss. Tlie landscape might well be the original for a phase of a 
" transformation scene at a pantomime. In the midst of this glade 
"the stream is crossed by a wooden bridge." 
Space forbids further description, but in our membei''s 
(Mr. D. Dewar) latest work* a descriptive chapter is devoted 
to the Himalayas, from which most of the above quotations are 
taken . 
Amid such suri'oundings tiie Minla lives his life, bring-- 
ing other Minlas into the world to take his place when " he 
goeth West." Here this bonny gem and his equally hand- 
some spouse seek out the site of Minla Castle, constructing a 
neat cup -shaped nest of moss and grass in a bushy tree [the 
fortunate aviculturist who gets the first pair should give them 
similar accommodation), and depositing therein four white eg'gs, 
spotted with rusty -red. Unless a tragedy of the woods occur, 
the young are brought up and duly enter the wide world, 
where the happy family party may be seen clinging round and 
under the branches of the trees, diligently searching for in- 
sects. May a similar picture soon be seen in some English 
aviary is the fervent wish of the writer, and he will be pleased 
indeed if it be at Mitcham ! 
Mr. Ezra's eulogj^ of his charming specimen is not an 
exaggeration; such is an impossibility with this species. On 
several occasions I have seen it flying about Mr. Ezra's bird- 
room, where its demeanour and deportment was such that it 
made me long and long to see a pair amid the precincts of a 
wilderness aviary; a desire which I hope may yet be realised. 
Considering its range and distribution, there should be 
no difficulty in keeping the species in the open during spring, 
summer, and early autumn, and given the protection of four 
walls should fare well for the colder months of the year. 
4 
A Journey Across the Sierras, S. California. 
By Wm. Shore Baily. 
{Continued from, page 52). 
Next morning, as we set out, the mountains behind us 
were covered with fog, which gradually found its way down 
*Birds of the Indian Hills, vide review. 
