267



Bird Notes from the Zoological Gardens.


within half-an-hour found they had again removed it, this time

they had taken it into their drinking pan four yards distant and

left it broken in the water. The birds continued to sit on the other

three eggs until 28th April when I took the eggs away. The birds

during this period were apparently on the most friendly terms.

The eggs were all rotten and I suspect that the frosts of the first

week of the month would account for this. At the same time I

should not describe the allies as good sitters as they were

relieving one another every few minutes when sitting. One

curious thing I noticed a few days before I took away the eggs,

and that was the entire removal of the nest and eggs to a hollow

immediately adjoining the first nest. There was no mistake about

this as the position of the original nest was just outside the shelter

shed, whereas the substituted nest was just inside the shed. All

the lining of the original nest was removed and a good deal more

dried grass added to line the new one which was better made than

the original nest. I have not the least idea why the birds did this.

Iam inclined to think that the triple alliance consisted of two

cocks and one hen (the winged bird) but “all my mind is clouded

with a doubt.” I think I am right in saying that somewhat

similar nesting arrangements of Spur-winged Plover have been

noticed by Mr. Hudson in Argentina, the hen sitting on the eggs

and the two cocks standing by the nest. I hope, on a future

occasion, to be able to report the successful nesting of some of

the allies.



BIRD NOTES FROM THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.


By The Curator.


During the past month quite a number of rare birds have

arrived and space will only permit of my mentioning the most

important.


A fine specimen of the rare Kakapo or Owl Parrot of New

Zealand (S trhigops ha drop til us) has been purchased. This very

distinct flightless Parrot was at one time very numerous in the

bush country of New Zealand, sleeping by day in a hole or

crevice in the ground and coming forth at night to (eed upon

roots and other vegetation. It is now fast disappearing and the



