76 MR. A. D. BARTLETT ON THE BREEDING OF BIRDS. [Jail. 23, 



the barred tail, a characteristic of a different section of the Trogo- 

 nidce, viz. of that which includes T. paella, Gould, at once shows its 

 complete distinctness. It partakes in fact to some extent of the 

 characters of both the above-mentioned groups. There are five 

 distinct notches on the edges of both upper and lower mandibles ; 

 but these are neither so deep nor so large as in T. massena. 



The collection contains two males in adult plumage, but no female. 

 Mr. Gould, who has kindly examined these specimens, considers 

 the species to be quite distinct from any previously known to him. 



8. Notes on the Breeding of several Species of Birds in the 

 Society's Gardens during the year 1865. By A. D. 

 Bartlett, Superintendent of the Society's Gardens. 



(Plate IX.) 



The year just passed has been somewhat remarkable from the long 

 continuance during the summer and autumn of dry hot weather ; 

 and this has probably much influenced the breeding, and the ten- 

 dency to breed, among many animals that have not before reproduced, 

 or shown signs of reproducing, in the Society's Gardens. 



Among these, perhaps the most interesting to notice will be the 

 Sun-Bittern {Eurypyya helias). A pair of these birds were pur- 

 chased in September 1862, and have always appeared in good 

 health and condition. Early in the month of May last they began 

 to show signs of breeding, by carrying bits of stick, roots of grass, 

 and other materials about ; they were constantly walking round 

 the pond, evidently in search of materials to compose a nest, and 

 appeared to try and mix wet dirt with bits of moss, &c. This 

 suggested the idea of supplying them with wet clay and mud, which 

 they at once commenced to use. After a short time they settled 

 to make a nest on the top of a pole or tree about 10 feet from the 

 ground, on which was fixed an old straw nest. Both birds carried up 

 mud and clay mixed with bits of straw, roots of grass, &c. The 

 sides of the nest were raised, and thickly plastered inside with mud. 

 One morning the keeper Travis came to me with the fragments of a 

 broken egg, which he found on the ground under the place where 

 the nest was, telling me he believed the egg had been dropped by 

 the Sun-Bittern. Upon looking at the fragments I observed that 

 the egg was spotted at the broad end, and that it resembled the egg 

 of a Moor-hen, or perhaps rather the egg of a "Woodcock than any 

 other bird. I felt doubtful of the correctness of Travis's information, 

 the more so as there was in the same aviary a Blue Water-hen which 

 I strongly suspected to have been the producer of the egg in question. 

 I therefore removed this bird, to prevent any mistake ; and in the 

 early part of June Travis again called my attention to the Sun- 

 Bitterns, the female having laid an egg in the nest. I at once went up 

 a ladder to look at it, and found it agree in every respect with the egg 



