Avicultural Notes



229



shape. Probably Buzzards (Buteo vulgaris). They disappeared in

the clouds. Field-glasses are awkward now for one to manage with

crutches, and except for watching a given spot I’d rather use my eyes

and ears than be bothered with them.



AVICULTURAL NOTES


Regularity in Moulting. —It is interesting to note with what

regularity birds shed their feathers. In April, 1915, I obtained a cock

Alexandrine Parrot, and have kept a record of the shedding each year

of his two longest tail feathers. The accompanying table shows that

the moult becomes slightly later each year—whether this is due to

weather conditions or food I do not know—it also shows that the

feathers become slightly longer each year. It also indicates that the

left feather is always the longer, and is generally shed first [this is so

with this particular bird, but in another cock Alexandrine 1 had it was

the right feather that was always the longer]. For seven years I also

possessed a Shama, whose tail became longer as he grew older. When

he first came to me the longest tail feather at moult was 4| inches ; at

the time of his death it was 6 inches. May it be possible in this way

to tell the age of a bird ?—



Year.



Date of shedding

longer tail

feather (left).



Date of shedding

shorter tail

feather (right).



Length of left

feather.



Length of right

feather.



1915.



June 8.



June 8.



13§ in.



13| in.



1916.



June 10.



June 11.



13Jin.



13J in.



1917.



July 5.



July 5.



14J in .



13| in.



1918.



July 4.



July 6.



141 i n .



14 in.



1919.



July 8.



July 8.



14|in.



144 in.


8



E. Maud Knobel.



Mould in Collections of Eggs. — I have no doubt that lack of

cleaning and thorough drying is the cause of mould, as I noticed it

started on eggs of Grebes that I had never had time to wash ; and on

these eggs it has produced black pits, which scrubbing will not remove.



