Notes on young Yellow-winged Sugar-birds.



57



NOTES ON YOUNG YELLOW-WINGED

SUGAR-BIRDS.



By Miss E. F. Chawner.


As announced in the August and September numbers of The

Aviciiltural Magazine , my Yellow-winged Sugar-birds went to nest

again soon after the death of their first family. The hen began to

sit July 17th, and the first egg hatched out July 29th, the other,

the day after. Exactly a week later their eyes opened, and they left

the nest August 13th. The younger bird died the next day, but

the other throve, was well feathered, began to feed itself August 23rd

on over-ripe banana and a little sop, and just when success seemed

assured it became ricketty, lost the use of its wings, and died on

the 31st.


This brood had the advantage of the hot spell in July, and

consequently developed faster and left the nest a full week earlier

than the first family had done. They were reared on those little

grey moths which abound in pasture at that season, with occasional

caterpillars, crane-flies, and stick-insects ; no mealworms.


The hen altered her proceedings this time and took as many

insects as her beak would hold to the nest at once instead of making

a separate journey with each item. She began to give sop as well

as insects when the young were a fortnight old, and gradually fed

them on it altogether.


She was, as before, a most devoted and careful mother, and it

certainly was not her fault that both nestlings were not fully reared;

the weather was magnificent and everything in my favour. I feel,

therefore, that there must have been mismanagement on my part.

If the parent birds live until the next nesting season comes round I

shall hope to do better ; meanwhile, if anyone will be kind enough to

point out how I went wrong I shall be extremely grateful.



[Miss Chawner deserves complete success next year, and we trust she will

have it. One does not understand how she could have done more.—E d.]



