APPENDIX 1 279 



and, when at home, so much shut up in the winters, I cannot feel 

 quite sure. 



Bittern {Botaurus stellaris) began to ' boom ' on 20th inst. In 

 April 1 89 1 two of this species made a nest in a cage in our court- 

 yard, and laid five eggs, upon which one or other of the parent birds 

 sat continually, but did not hatch. 



Woodpigeons {Columba palumbus). Pair in aviary have two eggs, 

 and sit thereon. 



Mexican jay. One died, in apparent excellent condition. 



April lotk. Grey coly shrikes {Hypocolius ampelinus). A pair 

 received from Bartlett. These birds {fide Bartlett) were received at 

 Zoological Gardens, with others of same species, from the Persian 

 Gulf They are remarkably tame. I can detect very little affinity in 

 them to the shrike family, and only name them as above for want of 

 a better name. Their favourite food is fruit, but they are also fond 

 of meal-worms, and would, I feel certain, very much like house-flies, 

 if we could find any. In fact, they are evidently of waxwing-flycatcher 

 affinity. The picture of this bird in Ibis for 1868, p. 181, is much 

 more slender in look than my birds, and their colour is mousey, not 

 creamy, as in picture. 



April \ith. Woodpigeons in aviary have hatched both eggs. 

 Military starling {Sturnella militaris) purchased last summer, died 

 from abscess. 



April i6tli. Great bustard {Otis tarda) in aviary, picking up and 

 swallowing feathers. 



April i8tk. Cinereous vulture laid another egg, rather better 

 coloured than first. 



April igt/i. Hybrid bean + white-fronted goose {Anser segetuin, 



S-\-A. albifrons, ? ), bred on aviary pond last year with others, of 



■which it is the sole survivor, is in very fine plumage. It has the 



lender neck and orange-coloured legs and feet of its male parent, 



with a small white frontal patch ; no bars on breast. 



April 20th. Goliath heron {cf. antea) received on approval from 

 Jamrach as Ardea atricollis, to which it has no resemblance in plumage, 

 and is much larger. 



