67



on the Nesting of the Satin Bower-bird.



there must always be a supply of food within reach of their

parents, especially in the early mornings.


The plan I adopt for the piece de resistance is to have some

large flat pans, nearly filled with bran, sunk in the earth, under

a shed, nearly to a level with the ground. From time to time,

and especially at night, I place handfuls of mealworms in the

bran. When the parents want food for the young they always

have mealworms to fall back upon.


The same course may be adopted with maggots— but I do

not favour them if I can get anything else.


From time to time, according to my stock in hand, I place

cockroaches in the aviary, in the “ demon ” trap itself (of course

without the lid) or in some other suitable receptacle.


The course to be adopted is that mentioned by Mr. Farrar

in connection with his Cat-birds (Vol. VIII. p. 286). The place

should be alive with insects, notwithstanding warnings of

plagues of ants as a consequence.


There should also be a supply of prepared yolk of egg, in

flakes, in the aviary. Some parents will just now and then carry

a flake of this to their young when hard pressed ; ordinary

boiled egg is of but little use.


Nevertheless I think they might have been reared if it

had not been for the cold. Down the centre of the underparts,

from chin to tail, when the side feathers were brushed aside,

there was a track of about inch in width, wider over the

abdomen, absolutely bare and naked ; and as soon as they left

the nest the cold was too much for them. I cannot speak

positively, except by conjecture, of the second bird, which,

being found dead on Sunday morning, had been placed in ice

to preserve it for despatch on the following day, but the first

bird, which came to me immediately after death, shewed un¬

mistakable signs of a severe abdominal chill.


The following is the description of the young birds:—

Total length to tip of tail inches ; length of bill to gape

1 inch ; Tarsus if inch ; tail barely i£ inch. Head sparsely

covered with mouse-brown down. Mantle brown tinged with



