52 
'/'//(' li'lfds of (l(lllil)'l(l . 
fantailed birds which iiuist have been Kl iii'nii(ii\ and Bndgett shot two 
specimens at Koina in the upper river. He describes it as "extremely active 
and restless, fiittins; fi'om ti-ee to tive and continnallv s|)r('a<lin<>- out its tail 
like a fan." 
The foUowintf descript ion oi' lliis ti uly IoncI v bird is fi-oni the IJritish 
Museum Catalogue : — 
(ieneral colour above verditer blue, brighter and ratlu r nioie silvery- 
lilue on head ; quills blackish, externally edged with verditer blue, inclining 
to silvery -blue on the least wing-coverts Tail feathers verditer blue, 
blackish on the inner webs. Sides of face and ears like the crown. Under 
surface pale ashy-grey with a wash of blue, throat and foreneck verditer 
blue, centre of abdomen whitisli. thighs grey, under wing-coverts and axil- 
laries ashy-grey, edge of wing Inighter blue. Length ().4 inches, tail 3.4. 
The following note from my diary must, I tliink, refer to some other species of Ply. 
catcher, which I do mit know: " rnhah Kollon, June I'Jtli. I!)(i7. Saw v pair of birds new to 
me: -Black fantailed birds aliniit the size of a Red.st;irt bnt with much longer tails: slightly 
crested when excited; <'iil.inr ii^iiiared to be entirely glossy black. Tliey were playing 
together on the outskirts nf clniup of dense bush, hunting each other in and out among the 
branches: they made a very distinct swishing noiue (? with their tails) as they flew." 
{To he rontinnpcl). 
The Longevity of Birds. 
liy ('apt. S. 8. Flowrr, F.L.S., F.Z.S., M.B.O.U. 
In reference to the interesting editorial parngraph on this sub- 
ject on page 25 of lyird N(jles (New Series, No. 1, Vol. 1), of January, 
1910, 1 hope that inany members of the Foreign Bird Club will place on 
record their observations on tlie ages to which birds live. 
Such records would l)e of much scientific value, and it must 
alsu he acknowledged that, next to success in l)reeding, tlie length of 
life in captivity of liis or her birds is the principal proof of the suc- 
cessful uviculturist. 
Unfortunately, as far as it is accessible to me, the literature on 
this subject appears to be very meagre, and supposed records of long 
life are frequently open to criticism. An anonymous writer in " Nature," 
No. 1996, V'^ol. Ixxvii., page 290, 30th January, says : — " We are more 
likely to be correct in our knowledge of very old human beings than 
very old animals, but even witli regard to human beings the evidence 
of extreme old age -say over 100 years- often Ijreaks down when 
carefully examined. Those in doubt on this point slioidd read T. E. 
Young ' On Centenarians.' Sometimes the age is accepted because it 
is on the tombstone, but, as Joiinson says, 'In lapidary inscriptions a 
man is not upon oath.' 
In tlie case of "pets" these records are often difficult to sub- 
stantiate with real accuracy. Most people have at times to hand over 
