236 



nest was nearly finished, it was cup-shaped, about i| inches deep, con- 

 structed of green grass and fine hay, and so frail that one could see through 

 it. On August 9th the nest contained three eggs, of a pinkish brown 

 colour, with rusty red blotches all over them, £g by ^ths of an inch. The 

 hen bird commenced to incubate on August nth, sitting closely until Aug. 

 27th, when she left the nest and commenced to build again, but to my great 

 disappointment she allowed the Gouldian and Green Singing Finches to 

 pull her nest to pieces ; now the only thing I can hope for is better luck 

 next year, for really this year I Lave had very hard luck, my expectations 

 have been raised again and again only to be disappointed. A hen Nut- 

 hatch died egg bound, after building a nest of leaves in an old tree stump. 

 My Bearded Tits nested and laid two clutches of eggs, one of five, which 

 were soon forsaken, and another of three, which all hatched out, but they 

 only fed them for three days, and then left them to perish. I am sure it 

 was not for want of care, as I caught spiders and green fly, and also gave 

 them maggots and mealworms by the million. 



£be IFUobtjar in Captivitv. 



I think that I am right in saying that no Englishman hasheen more successful than 

 our member, Mr. Galloway, in the treatment of indigenous Softbills, indeed in the case of a 

 Swallow, which Mr. Galloway kept in good health in a cage for no less than seven years, we 

 probably have an unbeaten record. Knowing that our member had been almost equally 

 successful with the Nightjar, I was anxious to include particulars of his system of treatment 

 in the article that appeared in the November number on this subject, but unfortunately, Mr. 

 Galloway's letter did not reach me in time. I am glad, however, to be able now to repro- 

 duce it by kind permission. W.K.T. 



" It is true the Nightjar will feed itself in captivity, I am talking now of my own 

 " specimen, but it will only feed in one way. It will never peck up from the floor of the cage 

 " nor out of a tin, and if food was placed for it in that way it would starve to death. 



" I have taught my Nightjar to feed itself in this way. I have a shelf made in the 

 " front of the cage on the inside, level with the head of the bird when it is standing on the 

 "floor of the cage. Along this shelf I have a row of pins with their heads broken off. 

 " These pins are fixed along the edge of the shelf and sloping towards the inside of the 

 "cage. Now, on these pins the soft food, made into little pellets the size of a bean, is 

 " fixed, also mealworms, moths, flies, etc., and the Nightjar having the food placed level 

 " with its eye takes it off the pins as it requires it. 



" If the food is placed on the floor the bird appears not to see it, but place it on a 

 " level with his eye and he snaps at it at once. The Nightjar has no idea of pecking up at 

 " all— at least that is 1113' experience. 



" I have had my bird for over three years, having reared him from the age of four 

 " days and he has never ailed. He is fed at g p.m. and has a small feed at 8 a.m. His night 

 " meal consists of as much as he can eat and then the rest is taken away from him. He 

 " has a little water occasionally but drinks very little indeed. He is the picture of health 

 "and will fight my finger and play with my hand like a kitten. 



■• I take him out of his cage and let him sit on my hand and then throw him up in 

 '• the air in my kitchen, when lie flies straight to the top of the door and sits and croaks 

 " and rattles away like the wild bird and also gives the sharp call go-ick. He flies about 



