1866.] MR. A. D. BARTIiETT ON THE BREEDING OF BIRDS; 77 



already spoken of. The two birds were very attentive, and took turns 

 at incubation, and in twenty-seven days the young bird was hatched 

 (July 9th). On the following day I ventured to look at the young 

 bird, and in a few seconds made a rough sketch of it, as I was fear- 

 ful that the inspection of a stranger might interfere with and perhaps 

 cause the old birds to desert the young one. Mr. Jennens has, 

 however, made a very correct drawing of the bird from my descrip- 

 tion and sketch (see PI. IX. fig. 1) ; it is certainly one of the pret- 

 tiest young birds I ever saw. It is thickly covered with fine short 

 tufts of down, and much resembles the young of the Plovers and 

 Snipes, with this addition, that the head and body was thinly co- 

 vered with rather longer hairs than are to be seen in the former- 

 mentioned birds. The young bird remained in the nest and was fed 

 regularly by both parents, the food consisting principally of small 

 live fish, a few insects, &c. The mode of taking its food was some- 

 what peculiar : it did not gape and call or utter any cry like most 

 nestlings ; but as soon as the old birds flew upon the nest with the 

 food in their bills, the young one snapped or pecked it from them 

 and swallowed it at once. The young bird remained in the nest 

 twenty-one days, by which time its wings were sufficiently grown to 

 enable it to fly to the ground. It was there fed as before, and never 

 afterwards returned to the nest ; it grew quickly, and at the end of 

 two mouths was indistinguishable from the old birds. Early in 

 August the old birds began to repair the nest, and added a fresh lining 

 of mud and clay, and at the end of August laid another egg. The 

 male bird now appeared to attend to the duties of incubation with 

 niuch greater care than his partner, who fed the now nearly full- 

 grown young one ; they, however, managed to hatch this second 

 young bird on the 28th of September. But as both the old birds 

 were seen feeding the Jirst young one more frequently than the 

 second, the keeper Travis was afraid the little fellow might starve 

 from their neglect ; so he frequently went up the ladder to the nest 

 and fed the young one. It readily took food from his hand ; and in 

 this way both the young birds have arrived at maturity, and now 

 appear perfectly adult. 



In remarking upon these interesting facts, I may observe that the 

 egg differs considerably from the eggs of any true Ardeine bird with 

 which I am acquainted in its spotted and blotched markings, and in 

 this character bears a strong resemblance to those of the Plovers and 

 Snipes; nor are these the only resemblances, its downy covering, 

 colour, and markings leading one to regard it as allied to these forms. 

 The great difference, however, in habit is remarkable, as in all the 

 Plovers and Snipes the young birds run about as soon as they are 

 hatched or a few hours afterwards, and, as far as I know, find their 

 own food. We have therefore in the inactivity of this bird in the 

 nest, and in its being fed by the parent bird, an Ardeine character. 

 I must not omit to call attention to another form, the genus E/ii/n- 

 chtea, or Painted Snipe. I am inclined to believe, from some of the 

 habits of this genus, that it may have affinities with Eurypyga ; 

 but I have not been able to determine this, not having the materials 



