95



BIRD NOTES.



Nine specimens of the Pheasant - tailed Jacana (Hyd/ophusiattus

chirurgus) were recently presented by Mr. Frank Finn to the Zoological

Society, and arrived at the gardens on January ntli last. This is the first

time this curious species has been represented in the Society’s collection.

It is unfortunate that they should have arrived at a season in which

climatic conditions are against their being placed amongst more or less

natural surroundings, as they might have been in the summer. The dry

sanded floor of the inner part of the Western Aviary is a poor substitute for

their home amongst aquatic vegetation, and we were much disappointed

to find, on visiting the gardens on February iotli, that only five of the

nine then survived, and these did not appear to be doing well.


The Jacanas ( Purridce) form a link between the Snipes and the

Plovers, while they differ from all other birds in possessing extraordinarily

elongated toes, which enable them to walk with ease on floating leaves of

aquatic plants. The Pheasant-tailed Jacana, or Water Pheasant, is the

sole representative of the genus Hydrophasianus, and the largest member of

the family. The specimens now in the Zoological Gardens are in winter

plumage, the breeding plumage being assumed in May or June, at which

time the short tail-feathers are replaced by others of about a foot in length.


The Water Pheasant is comparatively common throughout India and

Ceylon, and is found wherever there is water in which aquatic vegetation

is abundant; feeding upon insects and grain. The nest, composed of

weeds and rushes, is placed in some thick grass-clump in the midst of a

pond or swamp. According to Hume, “in shape the eggs of this species

are so peculiar that when once seen they can never be mistaken. They

may be described as pegtops without pegs—cones slightly obtuse at the


point, based upon somewhat flattened hemispheres.When quite


fresh they are of a rich deep bronze colour.” The clutch usually consists

of four eggs.


Mr. Frohawk has contributed a very life-like drawing of Tengmalm’s

Owl (Nyctala tengmalmi) to the Field of Feb. ist, with an account of the

capture of two of these rare wanderers in an exhausted state on the East

Coast, after an easterly gale. Both of these Owls appeared to be perfectly

tame, and readily took to a life of captivity. Two more have since been

recorded in England — one shot in Northamptonshire, and the other near

Henley. This brings the number of cases in which this species has been

recorded in the British Islands to about thirty-three.


Ostrich farms are, we learn, being established at several places on the

Riviera, where the climate seems favourable to the industry. The demand

for good plumes is said to be ever increasing, and, at the present time,

greater than the supply ; so that there is every prospect of the undertaking,

which appears to be entirely a British concern, proving very remunerative.


In the Field of Feb. 8th, Mr. J. H. Gurney records the occurrence of

Allen’s Gallinule (Porphynola alleni) on Dec. 31st last at Hopton, near

Yarmouth. There is no previous record of this African species having

been taken in Great Britain.



