The Ruloiis-hcllicd Nittava 
115 
in the black patch under the throat, also three or four white 
feather:^ in the lliglits aliove the brown. The birds also vary a 
little in size, some l)eing larger than others. 
The food consisted of Canary, Millet (red and white), 
spray millet, cuttlelbone, and soft food. 
The aviary contains the following birds: 
Finches:— Parrot, Olive, Striated, S^nce, Black-headed, 
Rufous -backed, and Bib; Mannikins and Bengalee. 
Waxbills: — Lavender Finch, Common Avadavats, 
Green Avadavats, Gold -breasted, Orange -cheeked, St. Helena, 
Cordon Bleu, and Red -billed Weavers. 
♦ 
The Rufous-bellied Niltava. 
{Niltava sundara). 
By R. S. de Q. Qui.n'Cey. 
In response to your request in February " Bird Notes " 
I :\ n\ writing to tell you a little about the pair of Rufous-* 
bellied Niltavas, which I obtained from Major Perreau iii^ 
March, 1913— so far, they have made obsolutely no attempt 
to nest. 
It is most interesting to watch them catching flies and 
gnats, especially in the evening. You see them sitting slet^pily 
on a branch, then, suddenly they make a dai't, catch their fly 
or flies, and return to their original branch. You can tell the 
number of insects they have caught by the clicking of their bills. 
They must have splendid eyesight, for often in the dusk 
you will see them literally "dart" fifteen to twenty feet, ending 
up with a click and a swoop on to the nearest branch. 
They seldom go on the ground, but often sit ' 
in th(! shade of a Rhododendron bush, of which our 
aviaries are full, about a fopt from the ground. There the 
cock would sing, when the sun was shining, a pretty 
but rather soft little song. At such times the hen would come 
quite close to him and they would sit together, but other-i 
wise they were very seldom found very near each other. They 
each seemed to have their own part of the aviary for (^atxih- 
flies, and seldom trespassed. 
