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and are distinguished by the long and peculiarly shaped tail

feathers. They possess considerable powers of mimicry and

also indulge in many interesting antics, returning to a particular

spot daily in which to show off their natural beauties.


The other arrivals in that aviary consist of a pair of

Wood-Swallows (about which. Mr. Fulljames has already written),

a Roller (which I did not see), and several Sandgrouse. The

older inhabitants of the Western Aviary may now be seen at

their best, and, judging by the volume of sound, many of them

are in full song.


The Piping Crows, to which I drew attention in my last

month’s Notes, do not seem to have made any substantial

progress towards increasing their species, though one of them

was running about with a leaf, which he did not seem to know

quite what to do with. A pair of White Storks (CAconia alba)

have nested on the ground under a small tree in their aviary,

and the female was sitting on the nest aud presumably on eggs.


I have nothing further to record about the Knots; the

pair still keep together, but have lost much of their ardour, aud

the affair will probably end, as I feared, in smoke.


Since last writing, the Great Aviary, opposite the Eastern

Aviary, has been filled up with its summer inhabitants, and

several species may now be observed commencing nestino-

operations, viz., Glossy Ibis, Black-headed and Jameson’s Gull,

etc. The two Australian Thicknees, reported in the Western

Aviary, have been placed here ; these much resemble our

indigenous species, but are slightly larger, aud in their present

quarters give one splendid opportunities of observing the habits

of this very shy bird.


The following is a list of the birds bred in the Gardens

during the year 1899, and is chiefly remarkable for its extreme

brevity ; none of the birds mentioned are worth more than

passing notice, as, with the exception of the Upland Geese, they

are all known as very free breeders in private aviaries.


I Eagle Owl (Bubo maximus).


6 Glossy Ibises (Plegadis falcinellus).


4 Summer Ducks (Aix sftonsa).


1 Mandarin Duck {Aix galericulata).


2 Upland Geese {Chloephaga magellanica).


4 Variegated Sheldrakes (Tadoma variegata).


2 Spotted Turtle Doves (Turtur suratensis).


2 Jameson’s Gulls {Lams ?iovce hollandice).


2 Hybrid Herring Gulls {Lams argentatus and Z. cachinnans).



