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Mr. C. Babnby Smith ;



satisfied, highly stimulating ; possibly too much so, as will be seen

from the number of nests built and discarded.


First, as to the pair of common Tree Partidges in an enclosure

to themselves, they made one of their curious domed nests as early

as 10th March. This nest was as usual a hollow scooped out in

the earth and an enormous mass of grass and litter built over it

with an opening at the side just large enough to admit the

bird. The entrance to the nest is often blocked up with litter

when the nest is not in use. Snow spoilt this particular nest, but

another was made within ten days and two eggs laid in it. This

second nest was then deserted without apparent reason, and there¬

after, until the end of May, at least eight more nests were made and

pulled to pieces by the birds themselves with surprising’ zeal and

alarming lack of discretion. The rapidity with which a new nest

would be made was wonderful. Both cock and hen would work as

if their existence depended on getting sufficient material together in

a couple of hours, and what they could do in that space of time

w y as incredible. Nine eggs (possibly ten) were laid altogether, seven

of them were fertile and several got broken. I do not think the

deserting of the nests can be attributed to my interference, because

although when I saw what was happening I took the eggs from time

to time to hatch in an incubator, yet a new nest was several times

made, or the old nest destroyed, before I took the eggs. The birds

were not shy about their nesting operations.


Now as to the other four birds. The two Rufous-throated

hen partridges joined forces and built endless nests from mid March

to early June, laying I think not less than fifteen eggs ; all unfertile.

Many of these nests somewhat resembled those of wood ants in

Norway, as the birds used great heaps of pine needles in default of

sufficient grass. I have had these birds for some years but never

knew them so active in nesting. The two common Tree Partridges

in this run never paired (though in splendid condition), but the cock

for two months would whistle plaintively for a couple of hours,

morning and evening, in a way I have not previously known. At

the end of May, thinking the breeding season was over (and lacking

space) I put the breeding pair of partridges with the four other birds,

with the result that the unpaired cock was promptly killed, the un-



