314 Bird Notes from the Zoological Gardens.


of Douglas Quails nested in a more exposed situation, but the hen

had an attack of “ gapes” just as she was about to sit, so the eggs

were placed in the incubator, and as I write one chick has hatched

and the others are chipping. The hen was successfully treated and

will probably lay again. These chicks will be placed in a Hearson’s

Foster Mother, in which we successfully reared six of the same kind

last year.


Of new arrivals, we have lately received two nice young

Boatbills of the northern form, Canchroma zeledoni, a species which

appears to be new to the collection. It is to be hoped that they

will do as well as the old bird of the southern form, C. cochleria,

which has lived well for more than nine years.


The arrival of a second specimen of the Kagu and two Sun

Bitterns are noteworthy, as both species are rare and most attractive

forms. The old Kagu has lived in the Western Aviary since 1906

and been a constant source of interest to visitors. It is much to be

hoped that the new arrival may prove to be of the opposite sex, but

it is impossible at present to say to which sex either belong. The

Sun Bittern is also a most delightful and beautiful bird which, years

ago, bred several times in the Gardens. In recent years there have

only been single individuals in the collection, but now that we have

three there may be a chance of their nesting.


Mr. Goodfellow recently brought home from Chili a couple of

the handsome Andean Geese ( Chloephaga melanoptera) , and these

have been purchased by the Zoological Society, forming a valuable

addition to the fine series of waterfowl in the collection.Whether

they are a true pair or not is at present uncertain.


Quite recently a gentleman brought home from Australia a

pair of minute flower-peckers ( Dicceuvi hirundinaceum ) and pre¬

sented them to the Society on behalf of Mr. Heumann of Sydney.

They are no larger than Gold-crests, and their successful importation

is a most creditable achievement. The Society has only once pre¬

viously exhibited a Dicceum, namely in 1909, when Mr. Frost brought

home an example of D. ignicolle for Sir William Ingram from the

Aru Islands, which lived for just a year in the Small Bird House.


D. Seth-Smith.



[* cf. Avic. Mag. March 1911 for illustration.]



