Notes on a Hybrid between H. cucullatus & H. spilonotus. 41


H. sbilonotus) was composed of grass stems, and was finished in

a few days, and was lined by the hen with feathers, cow-hair, and

privet leaves. Incubation commenced on the 24th of June upon

three eggs, all of which were pure white, and large for the size

of the bird. The eggs of this species appear to vary consider¬

ably, being frequently spotted. These eggs should have been

hatched in fourteen days, and on the 8th of July live ant pupae

were supplied, and for a week the hen bird behaved exactly as

if she had young. I was suspicious, however, as I had found no

egg shells, and on the 15th of July examined the nest to find that

she was still sitting.


The eggs were taken away and were, of course, useless.

On being blown only one appeared to have been fertile. I am

inclined to attribute this non-success to the vile weather ex¬

perienced at the time and the very exposed situation of the nest.

For days together torrential rain had soaked it and the nights

were extremely cold.


The cock while incubation was proceeding had, as seems

customary, built many additional nests, none of them of the

complete pattern, but thinner and smaller than the one in use.

One nest, however, was built inside the house, about six feet

from the floor, on a dead branch of Cupressus, and the hen, when

her first nest had been taken down, took possession of the indoor

nest and commenced to line it. A great quantity of feathers was

used, so many in fact that they protruded from the under side of

the nest. Whether or not she chose this nest after her ex¬

perience of an English summer I am unable to say, but it was

certainly a wise move. Two eggs were laid, and she commenced

to sit on the 20th July, that is five days after she had abandoned

her first nest.


I have never seen the cock enter the nest or feed the hen

or the young birds. O11 the 3rd of August I discovered an egg¬

shell under the nest, which spoke of a clean hatch, and the

supply of insect food was commenced. I think most members

of the Society know what this means, especially when dealing

with birds which will not touch any known kind of soft food.

Live ant pupae were supplied many times daily, most of which

disappeared down the throat of the cock who certainly did not



