Dr. A. G. Butler,



158



record in the case of the Bobolink, or the Red-breasted Marsh-

bird (of which, if Russ is correct, I have hitherto been the only

private owner) ; the Cow-birds, of course, do not incubate. I

cannot discover that the Military Troupials have ever been

bred. In Agelceus phoeniceus incubation lasts about two weeks

according to Charles Bendire ; Xanthocephalus icterocephahts also

“ about fourteen days” ; Sturnella magna and its western type

►S. negleda fifteen to sixteen days; Quiscalus versicolor “about

two weeks.Of the Hang-nests, the so-called Baltimore

Oriole {Icterus baltimore) incubates for fourteen days according to

both Bendire and Russ ; but the Orchard Hang-nest (/. spurius )

only incubates twelve days according to Bendire.


Only two or three of the Icterine Starlings having been

bred in captivity, Major Bendire’s notes are the more valuable.

Of the Sturniue Starlings (in which the bastard primary is

exposed), aviculturists have done rather more breeding. Dr. Russ

and Herr Wiener say that Lamprocolius chalybeus was bred in our

gardens in 1872, but I can find no mention of it in the volume ot

the Proceedings for that year : L. auratus is said to have been

bred the year following. In neither case does Dr. Russ give any

details, so I conclude that none were published. Mr. Phillipps

says that with him Acridotheres cristatellus and tristis laid many

eggs and a few were hatched (Avic. Mag. Vol. IV. p. 137) but he

throws no light on the period of incubation : neither does Herr

Wiener, who bred A. cristatellus in 1875, and Poliopsar

malabaricus in 1877 and 1878. Mr. Farrar, who bred the latter

species in 1900, also omits to mention the incubation ; but, with

regard to P. andamancnsis he says,—“ as far as I could tell, she

sat about thirteen days ” and of Temenuchus pagodartcm, —“ The

sitting lasted roughly some thirteen days.” So, with regard to

the Sturnidce, we have no exact data in spite of the number of

species which have nested in captivity.


Ptilonorhynchus violaceus, the Satin Bower-bird, takes three

weeks according to Mrs. Johnstone (Avic. Mag. N. S., Vol. I. p.

64) incubation having commenced on June 7th, and food first

carried to the young 011 the 28th.


One would suppose that in such conspicuous birds as the



Sixteen days according' to Dr. Russ.



