5^ 
i'ield Notes froui M aslioiialaini. 
morning when a Black-headed Oriole appeared with tlie Star- 
lings. The bird had a very racy, graceful outline, not being so 
stocky in form as the Starlings. It was in perfect plumage. 
Head black; body orange; wings black, spotted with white; 
tail-feathers and scapulars greenish-yellow; the crowning touch 
of colour being the cherry-red bill, and skin of same colour 
round the eyes; legs dark red. As far as 1 could make out 
through the glass the eyes were either black or very deep brown. 
It was a very shy bird, with a low whistle of two notes, fre- 
quently repeated rapidly. It seemed very restless and was even 
more diligent in its search for food in the mulberry trees than 
the Glossy Starlings, in whose company it both arrived and 
departed for several days in succession. Other Ijirds which 
frequent the garden (so called! ! ) are half a dozen little parro- 
quets of a sage-green colour. The male bird has a brick-red 
face; they are not noisy as far as the parrot-tribe go, and have 
rather a pleasant little chatter, which is kept up incessantly, Init, 
it must be confessed they have an appalling shriek when 
frightened, nevertheless they are delightful little birds to watch 
and are very tame if left alone; in fact too tame, as they take 
heavy toll of the peach buds and refuse to fly away until one 
gets quite close to them, and even then only flit, with their 
peculiar snipe-like flight, to another peach tree only a few yards 
away, and start nibbling off them almost as soon as they have 
settled. 
M,\SKKi) Doves : The little Masked (iround Doves (Ociia 
capciisis) abound everywhere ; pretty little chaps these, with their 
black masks, orange beaks and grey uniform. W orkers for their 
living, too, for all day they are running about hunting for 
various seeds. It surprises me that these little mites, not as 
big as a thrush, can and do swallow large mealies (Indian corn) 
w'ith the greatest ease; rice too, and repoko seed, also " Dahas," 
form a good portion of their diet. In August they congregate 
in flocks of twelve to thirty, and about the middle of September 
they usually break up the flock and pair off. Quite a number 
by the way only have one egg instead of the usual couple of the 
Columbidcc. With their long pointed tails, when flying, they 
remind one of parroquets. They usually take a siesta in the 
middle of the day, lying on their sides with a wing outspread 
like a quail. 
