276 Nesting of the Rufous-throated Blue Sugar Bird. 



more private. Then the hen began to sit, July 5th, but was 

 not at all steady, leaving her nest as soon as she heard the 

 aviary door unfastened. I was afraid to look at the eggs, 

 much as I longed to see them and to ascertain their number. 



When I thought nestlings were due I caught all the 

 flies and aphides I could by dint of " sweeping," and turned 

 them into the aviary. I also provided very small mealworms 

 and living ants' " eggs," and abundance of ripe fruit, hoping 

 that some of these might suit. On July 18 I was grieved 

 to find a newly hatched nestling thrown out and quite dead. 

 I thought that the mother made some attempt to catch insects 

 and carry them to the nest, but next day I found another 

 nestling thrown out, and the parents had evidently forsaken the 

 nest. When I examined it I found it quite empty I hunted 

 for egg shells but could not find a trace of them so I do not; 

 know anything of their colour or markings. Probably the 

 Gouldian Finches, who are always very keen on egg shell, 

 had eaten them. 



At first the birds seemed inclined to go to nest again, 

 but the hen soon tired of it and took no notice of her mate's 

 blandishments. This was a disappointment, I thought this 

 tropical summer would have encouraged them to try again. 



Before pairing the cock " displays," spreading his wings 

 and tail, and pufRing out his feathers. After pairing has 

 been accomplished both birds utter shrill squeaks after the style 

 of the English Eobin. 



Until the last fortnight the Sugar Birds lived peaceably 

 with their neighbours, but now I have been obliged to cage 

 the cock, as he turned out savage and took to making murder- 

 ous onslaughts on the other cock birds in the aviary, though 

 he never molested the hens. His method was to lie in wait 

 in some bush where he was practically invisible, and suddenly 

 to dart at any unsuspecting male who came within reach. He 

 flies very swiftly, and turns cleverly and is proportionately 

 difficult to evade. In this way he caught a cock Pintail 

 Nonpareil just coming into colour and a Cuban Finch. As 

 I do not wish the aviary tenanted exclusively by widows I 

 caught the agressor, who takes his confinement philosophically 

 as does also his wife. Next summer if all goes well I hope 

 to manage them better. 



