483 Letters, Extracts, Notices, ^-c. 



day, while she goes in search of the necessary nourishment. 

 A pair will follow this reffhne with the greatest regularity for 

 about forty days, when the chicks can be heard — telephoning 

 as it were — in the shells. Frequently the chicks break the 

 shells tlieraselves, but often the hen can be seen pressing 

 on the shell with her breastbone to assist the youngster in 

 making his debut into the glorious climate of California.^' 



Birds living i?i the Zoological Society's Gardens. — In the 

 aviaries of the Zoological Society of London there are at 

 present several birds of considerable interest. A Ring- 

 Ouzel, acquired in August 1894 in young plumage, turns 

 out to belong to the Alpine form, Tardus torquatus alpestris. 

 It is now in full dress in the British-birds Cages, where it 

 has as its next neighbours two Nutcrackers [Nucifraga caryo- 

 catactes), apparently of the long-billed form, if the two 

 forms can always be discriminated. Hard by, in the Western 

 Aviary, are examples of two scarce Ducks, Biziura lobata of 

 Australia and Rhodonessa caryophytlacea of India, the latter 

 a male in fine plumage. The Bower-birds have also lately 

 made a most beautiful playing-place. In the Insect- House 

 may be seen (and heard) a fine adult male of the Bell-bird 

 of Guiana, celebrated by Waterton {Chasmorhynchus niveus). 

 The curious caruncle on its forehead, now fully developed, 

 hangs on either side of its bill, and is often retracted, when 

 it forms little more than a warty excrescence. Its remarkable 

 voice can be heard all over the Gardens, and is quite distinct 

 from that of the Brazilian Chasmorhynchus imdicollis, an 

 example of which may be seen in the same house. 



The Parrot- House (overfull, as usual) contains, among 

 the large series of Psittacidce, examples of such rarities as 

 Palaoi'nis derbiana from China, Psephotus chrysopterygius 

 from Australia, Nymphicus uvceensis from the Loyalty Group, 

 C/irysotis pretrii from Brazil, Conurus rvbro-larvatus from 

 Ecuador, and a pair of Carolina Conures (Conuropsis carotin- 

 ensis^, sometimes supposed to be extinct. Three Mountain 

 Ka-kas {Nestor notabilis) are occasionally indulged with 

 mutton-chops. In the series of large cages at the back will 



