196 
Birds in and nhout the Station 
" On being alarmed, or frequently without any apparent cause, they 
" break out into a chorus of notes resemhlinij laufjhter or loud chatter. 
" They are also in the habit of going through amusing performances on 
" the ground, erecting their crests, drooping their wings, and expanding 
" their tails, dancing and cajiering about all the time. They are all found 
" in forests or amongst trrees and bushes, and though cautious and some- 
" times very shy. yet on some occasions they seem careless of observation, 
" and they are difficult to get rid of when once their curiosity has been ex- 
" cited. They eat almost every sort of insect and the smaller reptiles, 
" and they no doubt partake also of fruit." 
They certainly are fond of fruit and berries. They ne.st in low 
thick bushes. 
Rough description.— Crest, head, neck, and breast pure white ; 
a broad streak below tlie eye and continued beyond black ; rest of 
plumage chestnut. Length 11 inches, tail 2.2. 
The Rufoiis-chinned Laughing Thrvstv^ (hmtlweinel a rufigularis). 
— This bird, too, I have only met with higher up in the forest zone, 
r have never kept it, but was much taken with it in a wild state, and 
as it should be an easy bird to keep, it may yet find a place in one of 
my aviaries. Ir is a non-jay-like bird, smaller and slimmer than the 
last, and althcugh it is lacking in ha"ing such a striking contrast of 
colours, it is distinctly handsome. Roughly it gives one the idea of a 
bird clad in beautiful olive brown, with rather a small white dress 
shirt and a waistcoat of ashy brown spotted with black. In reality it 
has a good deal more colour. Length nine inches. 
Most of the birds I saw wei'e young, wanting the rufous chin 
and ear-coverts, and even the old birds seen were not rich coloured on 
these parts. They kept very much to low thick bush, but were not 
liard to <)l)serve if one kept still. 
The Red-headed Laughing-Thrush (Trachalopferum rrythroce- 
phalum). — Another bird from the forest zone and a very handsome and 
desirable bird it is. The evasive nature of the beast prevented much 
observation, but I saw enough to hanker after him, in spite of the fact 
that I first made his acquaintance when he was in disreputable 
company. A pair of Jays (G. lanceolatus) were trying to snafiBe the 
young from a Tick ell's Ouzel's nest, and the parents were resisting 
vigorously. The Redheads were hardly taking an active part in the 
proceedings, but it was curious that they managed to get much closer 
to the nest than any of the other robbers ; there were several others 
there apparently on the chance of getting a bit. The main battle was 
* A specimen of this species was presented to the Zoo by our esteemed 
member Mr. E. W. Harper, ten or more years ago — it is still living and a 
very beautiful bird — it is located in the Western Aviary. — Ed. 
