Eggs of certain Blrds-^f- Paradise. 115 



9000 £t., 12th August, 1911 {^JValicr Goodfellow) . Presented 

 by j\Ir. E. J. Brook. 



On comparing my figure with that giveii by Dr. Hartert 

 it will at once be seen that the latter represents a very much 

 smaller egg, measuring 1"41X"99 inch (865 x 25"-J< mm.). 

 The egg in the Triiig Museum, taken by A. S. Antliony in the 

 Owen Stanley Mountains, has very possibly been incorrectly 

 identified, and seeais more likely to be that of Paradisea 

 raggiana, which it resembles in size, colour, and markings. 

 However, all the Paradise-Birds seem to lay eggs of much 

 the same type, and bearing in mind the great individual 

 variation in size to be found in the eggs of the Common 

 Hook (Corvus frugilegiis), it is not wise to express one's 

 doubts in too positive a manner. 



In Mr. E. J. Brook's splendid aviaries at Hoddam Castle 

 there are no fewer than three pairs of these fine birds living, 

 all brought back by Mr. W. Goodfellow in 1909. In 1911 one 

 pair of them nested, and three clutches containing one egg 

 each were laid. The first egg, figured in the accompanying 

 Plate, was known to be " clear/' and was taken after the 

 female had incubated it for about a week ; the second egg 

 Avas unfortunately broken by the male; subsequently, as 

 mentioned below, a third egg was laid. 



Mr. Brook has kindly furnished me with the following- 

 notes concerning this most interesting event, 



"■ When I went to Norway at the end of May one pair of 

 tlie Princess Stephanie's Paradise-Birds were not agreeing 

 together veiy well ; the hen was very masterful and w^ould 

 not allow the cock to feed. In July my man separated the 

 pair and very soon afterwards the hen commenced to build 

 a nest. It was a large rough structure placed on a kind of 

 bracket, where a forked branch was fixed to the wall of the 

 inner aviary. 



" The foundation of the nest was formed of a few birch- 

 twigs and the rest was built of bamboo-tw^igs with the leaves 

 on. It was rather roughly constructed, but very substantial : 

 it measured about 12 inches across, and about 8 inches in 

 depth, and though a few pieces of moss had been carried in, 



