On Aiiscr indicus and Dciulrocycna ai'])orca. G57 



"with tlicm until tlicy took to grain. In the crops of one 

 or two ] fonnd insects, hut during the winter months all 

 insect life was very scarce indeed. A food they must find 

 plentiful at certain seasons is the wild strawberry, which 

 during my stay Avas mostly in bloom. In the snares set for 

 pheasants were caught Tree-Partridges (^Arboricola crudi- 

 gulciris), Columba pulcricollls, Trochalopternm morrhonimvim, 

 two Woodcocks, and a monkey. 



"The Marten is no doubt the great enemy of the ]\Iikado 

 Pheasant, and })robably that is Avhy they are so scarce. 

 These animals were a constant source of trouble to me and 

 frightened my live birds considerably. Night after night 

 they came into the cam[) in the boldest manner and made 

 sleep impos:>ibk'. Traps were of no avail, and to shoot them 

 under the circumstances was out of the question, even if one 

 had had the opportunity. 



"Both sexes of tlie INIikado make a loud chce[)ing noise 

 like young turkeys, especially in the early morning, and 

 when frightened or disturbed the male hisses like a snake. 

 Undoubtedly the skins fade quickly, for already those 

 procured are less bright than they were and not nearly 

 so brilliant as the living birds, which aie resplendent. They 

 appear to nest about the end of April, for those I skinned at 

 the beginning of that month were just coming into breeding 

 condition, and one of the hens commenced to lay early in 

 May ; the other two being younger birds have not laid this 

 year." 



XXXIII. — On ilie Iinniatitre Dress of Anser indicus and 

 Dendrocycna arboiea. 15y F. E. Blaauw, C.M.Z.S., 

 M.B.O.U. 



(Text-figure 13.) 



The Barheaded (joose [Anser indicus) is not a free breeder 

 in captivity, and I am glad to be able to describe the chick 

 in dowu and the first feather-dress of this species, from 

 specimens bred in my own Park. 



