56



Breeding Notes for 1912.



draw the young away when attempts were made to supplement the

failing' supply of natural food in their enclosure.


But this year, a female bird which went to nest, was ex¬

tremely tame, and even allowed us to put up the light belonging to a

small garden frame over her as she sat, so that the nest remained

dry all the miserable weather which we had in Yorkshire at that

time. Probably owing' to the low temperature and absence of sun

the bird had gone to nest unusually late, and it was not till the 18th

July, after the usual incubation of 20 — 21 days, that the two eggs

were hatched.


At first the chicks were tender and weak on their legs, and

wandered a very little way for some days ; and the mother with

much discretion took them to sleep under the light which still re¬

mained over the nest. At this time the daily maximum ranged from

57 to 65, with minimum to 48, while rain fell at short intervals and

there was a total absence of sun. Of course all this was most

unfavourable to young' birds of this class, accustomed to almost

incessant sun and a dry climate in their breeding-haunts.


We kept the birds very quiet, as they got so wet in the long'

grass, when they crept away to hide : but gentles and wasp-grubs

were thrown down within their reach several times a day. On July

22nd I saw the old birds pick up something and call to the young,

who ran up from a distance of two or three yards to take the food

from her hill, and once I saw her take a gentle about the same

distance to the young, who kept close to some thick tufts of grass.

The little birds also were just beginning to pick up food themselves

in spite of the weather, they seemed doing' well. I had to leave

home then till the 27th, when I found that one chick had succumbed.

They had grown fast, and no doubt the mother could not cover them

both so well as when they were first hatched. On the 3rd August,

the survivor was feathering, but it seemed sluggish, no doubt from

cold (the thermometer on the grass had fallen to 33 the previous

night) and the mother had given up trying' to brood it. It died later

that day, and nothing remained hut to send it up to the Nat. Hist.

Museum as a specimen. I think in anything like an ordinary season

we should have reared these birds.


Young of Chilian and Chestnut-breasted Teal were reared, as



