258 Nesting of Hoopoes. 



box, placed between two old l)reeding- cages, Ijehind this box 



I noticed her go- 

 ing in and out and 

 concluded she was 

 looking for a nest- 

 ing site, so I 

 placed an ordinary 

 flat chocolate box, 

 into which I put 

 a little chopped 

 hay; she made no 

 attempt to form a 

 nest, but laid her 

 eggs in the recep- 

 tacle just as it was 

 placed for her. The 

 young now leave 



Ur4tc)>YFcv \J^^ 



?-9?W7)<t -^^^^^-^-^^^^^^——^ the box but, go 

 back to it again; they have not come doAvn to the ground 

 yet. They are in grand feather, and almost equal to the 

 old Inrds in colour; three of them inow have beaks fully 

 Jjin. long, and they erect their crests well ; the latter reminds 

 you of the crest of the Eose -breasted Cockatoo, a double 

 formation, V shaped. 



I have just noticed that the old pair are now going 

 through the quaint antics they indulged in before nesting com- 

 menced. The cock will take a mealworm and offer it to the 

 hen, she opens her beak and he places it almost inside, but 

 withdraws it again; this he will continue for five or six min- 

 utes, just as if it were to tease her: for this reason I am 

 expecting them to go to nest again. 



It will probably be of general interest if I state that 

 my aviary is rather small and the number and mixture of 

 its occupants will doubtless occasion some surprise. It 

 contains: — 



