another attempt at breeding Yellow-winged sugar-birds. 271


ended by both birds squeaking loudly several times in succession.

The cock also sang a good deal, a pretty little soft warble very

unlike the usual harsh call.


I placed tow, fine white paper shavings, and deer hair, with

some carefully selected fine hay ready for them and awaited events.

The hen soon began to carry material to a Cypress branch fixed in

the same place where she built last year ; the cock followed her every¬

where, encouraging her with his little song and frequent displays,

but he never touched the nest himself nor fed her. As soon as I

knew where the nest was going to be, neither I nor the aviary boy

went into that part of the shelter at all, for I am quite of one mind

with “ Secretarius” that no matter how confiding the birds may be

at other times, when nesting the fewer interviews the better, espec¬

ially during the early stages ; later on, when there are young and the

mother looks to be supplied with food for them, she may not so much

object to an occasional visit from the person who usually waits on

her, but strangers should never come within sight or hearing until

the young can fend for themselves. But this is a digression and I

must come back to my sugar-birds.


Building went gaily forward, a great deal of paper was used

in the foundation and twisted round the boughs between which the

nest was slung, it was finally lined with hair and a few bits of hay,

the tow scarcely used at all (I found out these details later) and it

was completed by May 24th. I do not know when the first egg was

laid, but incubation began about the 27th or 28th. The hen sat

very steadily, only dashing off occasionally to feed and stretch her

wings, and on the 15th June I found egg shells at the further end of

the aviary and she was anxiously watching for gnats and small

insects, which she caught in mid-air and carried back to the nest.

With a butterfly net I swept bushes and meadow until I had a good

supply of winged and creeping things and arranged the net at a

respectful distance from the nest.


The little mother eyed it for a moment, then as the con¬

tents began to sort themselves and move about she hovered in front

of it making her selection. The cock did the same, but I regret to

say from purely selfish motives. Backwards and forwards she went

and then settled down to brood her babies. This continued at fre-



