96



Correspondence.



During the breeding season, however, their conduct entirely changes and they

become quite ferocious.


When I refer to such books as I have on natural history, it seems to me

that there is a good deal to learn about the habits of the English water rail when

nesting. Details of the period of, and habits during, incubation, and as to how

incubation is shared by cock and hen, would certainly be interesting to many

people, as also particulars as to the “sharming” and “purring’’ noises.


The main difficulty appears to be to get a pair of birds at one time.

Personally, I have not many sporting friends, but several of them have promised

to let me have a water rail if they can get hold of one. In this district they

are by no means common ; indeed, I have only seen one in my life, but in some

districts they appear to be fairly plentiful, and I am told that in winter or very

early spring, when they are flooded out of their usual haunts and run up dykes,

they can be caught with a soft-mouthed retriever.


If I get hold of an odd bird I shall be delighted to give it to any other

member of the Society to make a pair, if there is any reasonable prospect of the

birds having a run in which they would be likely to nest. A fair-sized run, with

some big grass tussocks or other cover, would, I think, be essential, though the

water supply might be quite small. The sides of the run near the ground

should be of small mesh wire, to prevent the chicks getting through. I had

trouble several times with my Australian rails owing to their squeezing through

the wire and not being able to get back.


The effort of any one individual to bring about such an interesting result

as rearing young water rails would not, as I have above indicated, be likely to

succeed unless a good many members of the Society co-operated in attempts to

get nesting birds for a subject of common interest, and I hope the publicity

which you will give this letter by insertion in the Magazine will ensure some¬

thing being done. C. BARXBY SMITH.


Woodlands, Retford.


PHOTOGRAPHING A SATIN BOWER-BIRD.


In “ The Emu ” of July, 1915, a most excellent photograph is reproduced

of a male Satin bower bird with a twig in its bill, in front of its bower, and Mr.

James Ramsay writes ;—


“ As regards difficulty, either the Podargus or the Shrike-tit gave me more

trouble, but the Satin-bird easily eclipsed these as a test for patience ; he was

indeed a wily old bird. The first day I lay under some straggling grape-vines

from 10 o’clock till 3.30, when a heavy shower put an end to any hope of securing

an exposure. The second day I was ready earlier, and had everything in readi¬

ness by 9 o’clock, and never left my hiding-place till 3.45, when I exposed one

plate just as the rain came down. The shutter, however, which had been set in

the bright sunlight, proved too fast for the greatly reduced light, and I was not

able to de\elop a good picture. During almost all the second day the old Satin-



