51


his last visit. This is a mistake which, if adhered to, would lead to endless

confusion.


It is well known that birds associated together in a cage or aviary

will sometimes agree perfectly for weeks or years, and then, either because

the breeding-season is at hand or because old age has made a bird dis-

agreeable, it will attack every one of its associates (I have had an instance

in one of my aviaries this year).


Supposing this happens at the Zoo, and an under-keeper is passing

at the time, he will quickly remove the offender to a cage containing

perhaps one bird, substituting the latter for the offender. For the time

then, the labels on the cages are transposed, and a Green Bulbul becomes

a Paradise Whydah or something equally absurd.


My pair of Ilalf-collared Turtle Doves were seledled from a series

brought home by our member, Mr. Frank Finn, and deposited at the

Zoological Society's Gardens ; at his request the Society sent the birds to

me.


Knowing what confusion had existed respecting the true Turtur

semitorquatus, I spoke to Count Salvadori (who was then engaged upon the

British Museum Catalogue of ColumbcB) and he showed me our fine series of

skins of T. Senegalensis and of T. semitorquatus, as well as T. vinaceus.

T. semitorquatus is b}' far the larger bii'd ; then comes T. senegalensis, about

II inches ; whilst T. vinaceus is barely lo inches in total length.


A. G. Buti,e;r.



SEMI-DOMESTICATED MOORHENS.


Sir, — The article by Mr. C. L,. Hett in the last issue was of great

interest in revealing some of the habits of a most shy and interesting bird ;

they are still more interesting since they agree in one or two minute details

with my observations on the breeding of the Corncrake, last year (1896). I

have not at hand the number of the Avicultural Magazine in which my

remarks appeared, but I remember distinctly passing over several of my

notes, as I considered the habits to which they referred probably due to a

life in confinement. Mr. Hett refers to the fact that the male bird kept

away from the brood and took no notice of them during the first three days

of their life ; also that the male tended some of the chicks in one nest

while the hen looked after the rest in another. The following are my notes

on the subjecfl.


i6th July, 1896 — " The Corncrake began to sit on July 6th. . . The

male bird goes on as soon as she comes off."


22nd July — "The Corncrake has to-day hatched off all her young (8),

after seventeen days incubation. She -will not allow the cock to interfere with

them or come near her."


26th July—" A marked change has come over the hen, who, instead


of driving the cock away, now allows him to brood the young They


have not been seen going about together, but each has a few young."


A glance at these notes will shew that in these particulars, and during

a time of greatest importance to the welfare of the species, the habits of

these two species are practically the same. And although it may be

argued that they belong to the same family, yet their modes of life, which



