150



Bird Notes from Kent.



to be of any use at this early date. The second pair nested later,

hatching their three egg's early in July. Of these two were reared,

incubation in this case only taking 18—19 days.


The procedure of these birds is precisely the same as the

Greater Pintailed Sandgrouse (. Pteroclurus alchata), viz., the female

incubates by day, the male by night, and the male soaks his breast

with water for the young to drink or rather suck. There is, how¬

ever, no remarkable change of plumage in P. exustus in the breeding

season ; also, while P. alchata is a great eater of green food, P.

exustus scarcely touches it.


A very old pair of Greater Pintailed Sandgrouse nested and

reared two fine young cocks. This was unfortunate, as I have now

only one very old hen and plenty of beautiful vigorous cocks, so

unless I can procure some females, my Sandgrouse are in danger of

coming to an end, after having been maintained practically in one

unbroken family for twenty years.


I do not remember to have seen the display of the cock Blue

Crowned Hanging Parrot (. Loriculus galgulus) described, it is rather

remarkable. The little male commences by marching backwards and

forwards on a branch nodding his head; he then draws all the feathers

of his head and neck quite tight, with the exception of the crimson

gorget which stands out in a bunch. The scarlet upper tail-coverts

and scarlet feathers of the rump and lower back are then raised up,

sometimes into one point, sometimes two ; it is a wonderful example

of making the most of himself. A pair, which we have had for

six years, were most determined sitters, the hen sitting practi¬

cally from April to August, but with no result. The nest is built

deep in a hole of an apple tree of green strips of Aucuba leaves, the

strips when cut off being conveyed into the nesting-hole by being

inserted into the upper tail-coverts and feathers of the rump. The

little hen looks very strange flying into her nest with a bunch of

green leaves trailing behind her. The female is much larger than

the male, and the latter does not get any of his colour until two

years old, and not the full colour until four years.


The Waterfowl here can scarcely be considered in confine¬

ment, as beyond being fed they are quite unenclosed and look after

themselves. We have a great mortality from foxes, and to lessen



