64 ■ Occasional y^ofes. 



they had made a nest right in the centre of the tufts of grass, 

 by treading down the grass, and lining the depression with 

 a few roots and feathers, and laid the first egg. Four more 

 eggs were laid at irregular intervals, but several were 

 broken and the bird sat badly. Eventually — on the 9th of 

 November — the remaining two eggs were cracked, and she 

 left the nest. On the 25th November — a little more than a 

 fortnight later — she laid again, the first egg of the second 

 batch, and regularly every other day until the complement 

 of five was reached. On the 4th December she commenced 

 to sit, and on the 23rd of the same month brought off a brood 

 of five strong healthy chicks. The period of incubation is 

 thus 18^ to 19 days. 



The old birds were assiduous in their attention to their 

 brood, and showed great excitement upon the ingress of 

 myself or the keepers — raising the crest, drooping the 

 winos, and making a loud clucking noise. Owing to a sudden 

 heavy thunderstorm three of the young ones succumbed 

 shortly afterwards, but two were safely fledged. 



The newly-hatched young were of a reddish buff above, 

 with a broad red-brown stripe down the centre of the head 

 and back. Wings and sides blotched with dark brown. 

 Under parts huffish. Chin and throat white. Legs fleshy 

 straw. They are about the size of a Bantam chick. 



Description of the egg : I cannot find the egg of this species 

 described anywhere, so give a rough description herewith: — 

 They are of a blunt ovate, broader and flatter at the " big " 

 end^ and measure 350 mm. X 280 mm. They are of an 

 opaque white colour when fresh, but soon change to a dirty 

 greyish white. The shell is distinctly pitted all over with 

 pores. 



VII. — Occasional Hotes. 



1. Albino kxampli!: o*' Ant-eating Chat (Afi/nneco- 

 cichla formicivora) . — The following extract from a letter sent 

 by Mr. A. Pieters, Koseberry Plain, Coalbrook Station, O.F.S., 

 was "iven usbv Mr. C. B. Hardcnbcrg, Entomologist of the 



