British Birds. 285 



Creepers from Mr. Galloway. They arrived in separate cages, 

 and had never been together. The cock, Mr. Galloway had 

 had for some months, the hen had lately been caught-— in 

 fact, she had started to nest in a wild state. On turning the 

 pair into the aviary, the cock at once flew to the outside nest- 

 ing site and called to the hen, trying to entice her to the 

 spot. On the following day— April 30th, the hen was going in 

 and out of the nesting site all day long. May 2nd I noticed 

 the hen busy carrying nesting material to the nest, mostly 

 small sticks and a few bits of moss. On May 3rd the hen 

 was still carrying stuff to the nest. The cock was most 

 excited. Whenever he saw the hen approaching, he flew 

 to the entrance of the nest Happing his wings and calling. 

 On the hen entering the nest lie always followed, and both 

 would spend some minutes together inside. 1 wonder if he 

 assists to make the nest in any way? He never carried 

 any materials to the nest. 



May 4th, the nest seemed nearly finished, and I saw 

 the hen was busy picking the felt off the inside of a small 

 square of roofing felt, which was on the top of the wire- 

 work just above the nest — outside. I concluded that this was 

 to line the nest, so got a lot of combings from a "sheep-dog, 

 pulled them into small pieces, and placed them between the 

 piece of roofing -felt and the wire netting. The lien at once 

 started to use them, and by the evening had used up every 

 bit. May 6th the building had apparently been finished, 

 and the pair were most of the time hovering round the en- 

 trance to the nest. May 7th, the hen took no notice of 

 fresh combings, so I concluded that she had finished building. 

 May 10th I noticed the cock was constantly feeding the 

 hen on the trunk where the food trough is fixed. The cock 

 spends most of his time near the nest liole, but the hen never 

 seemed to go near the nest. 



.May 14th, removed the top of the nest -site and found 

 a perfect nest had been made, and lined with the wool comb- 

 ings, but no eggs. May 18th, the birds seemed to be at 

 a standstill, but whenever fresh food is given them (at 10-30, 

 2-30 and 6-30) the cock at once flies to the food trough, calls 

 the hen, and feeds her. On May 19th again removed top 

 of nest and found that two eggs had been laid. May 21st, 



