BRITISH GUYANA BIRDS EGGS. 149 



numerous at the larger end, or in a belt round the lar- 

 gest diameter. 



They hatch from February to June. — Two eggs (N°. 16). 



9. Crotophaga ani, L. 

 Old Witch, Keel-bill. 



Some eight or ten birds build an oval , shallow , open 

 nest, about eight inches long and four inches wide, of 

 sticks, lined with leaves, in the centre of low bushes, es- 

 pecially in orange trees , a few feet from the ground. This 

 nest is used in common, and when they are hatching , five 

 or six birds sit on the nest at the same time. Twenty 

 eggs have been taken out of one nest. 



The egg is regularly oval — 38 mm. by 27 mm. — , 

 smooth , and white in colour : if the egg is scratched it 

 leaves a light green mark , the colour of the inside of the 

 shell. 



The size of the egg varies considerably in the same 

 nest, probably due to the difference in age of the mem- 

 bers of the colony. 



They hatch in March , April and May. — Three eggs (N°. 7). 



10. Parra jacana, L. 

 Spur-wing. 



They build a deep open nest of grass and roots among 

 the water plants on the unused canals , swamps , aud edges 

 of the creeks. 



They lay four eggs. 



The egg — 30 mm. by 23 mm. — is yellowish brown, 

 thickly covered over with black irregular lines. 



They hatch in April, May and June. — Two eggs (N°. 4). 



11. Arde a candid issima, Gm. 

 White Gaulding. 

 One egg (N° 11). 



Notes from the Leyden Museum, Vol. XI. 



