three attempts at breeding sugar-birds. 189


unfastened. I was afraid to look at the eggs, though I longed to

see them and ascertain their number. When I thought nestlings

might be expected I swept all the flies and aphides and other insects I

could and turned them into the aviary together with living ants’ eggs,

very tiny mealworms and ripe fruit, hoping that something might suit.

On July 18th I found a newly-hatched nestling thrown out and quite

dead. I fancied that the mother caught some insects and carried

them to the nest, butnext day I found another nestling thrown out

and the nest empty. I hunted for egg-shells but could not find a

trace of any, probably some of the other birds had eaten them.


At first they seemed inclined to go to nest again, but the hen

soon tired of it and took no more notice of her mate’s blandishments.


Before pairing, the cock used to display, spreading his wings

and tail and puffing out his feathers. After pairing had been accom¬

plished both birds uttered shrill squeaks in the style of the English

robin. To my great regret the hen died of a chill during the autumn

and I could not get another. The cock lived until 1913, always in

beautiful condition. End of, chapter 1.


Chapter 2 begins in June, 1913, with a pair of blue sugar-

birds. These charming little creatures are too well known to need any

description, but I may say that I have found them the most easily

tamed of all the soft-bills. This particular pair were finger-tame

and absolutely without fear. Their method of intimating a wish for

nesting material was to fly on to my shoulders and tug at my hair

and they showed much annoyance on finding it a fixture. I supplied

them with tow and they speedily chose a place in a thick bough of

Cypress in the open flight, where, on June 8th, the hen began to

build a dainty little cup nest entirely of tow. The first egg was laid

on June 16th, pairing having taken place repeatedly during the

previous day. The egg was large for the size of the bird, long, with

a white ground heavily ringed with rusty red round the big end.

Another egg completed the clutch next day and incubation began.

I had great hopes, seeing that the birds were so tame, that all would

go well. But it was not to be ! On the 20th I found the hen dead

on the ground beneath the nest. On examination she was found to

be very fat, and this, combined with the excitement of nesting, had

c aused her death.



