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Dr. A. G. Butler,



longer”: but of the many species this lady has bred, she gives

us no definite details respecting the hatching of their eggs,

which is most unfortunate. Mr. O. E. Cresswell has done so in

one instance. Altogether Mr. David Seth-Smith has paid more

attention to this point in the life-history than any other in our

country; he has also made it evident that cold weather retards

the hatching of these birds’ eggs, and thereby possibly

is prejudicial to the vigour of the nestlings.


The following are the few facts which I have been able to

collate :—The genus Columba incubates from eighteen to twenty

days, eighteen days being the regular period for the British

species according to Tegetmeier, eighteen to twenty for the N.

American species according to Bendire, who also gives the same

period for Ectopistes migratorms, but about two weeks for

Zenaidura carolinensis , and about eighteen days for Melopelia

leucoptera. The Barbary Turtle sits from seventeen to eighteen

days, and I should think the Necklaced-dove does the same,

although (Avic. Mag. IV. p. 25) I put the time at nearly three

weeks. This year a young bird (71 tigrinus x T. risorius albus)

hatched on January 9th from an egg incubated since Dec. 22nd

of last year. 41


Geopclia cuneata incubates about twelve days according to

Seth-Smith (Avic. Mag. V. p. 35); and Scatdafella sqzcamosa pro¬

bably fourteen days (cf. Avic. Mag. N. S., II. p. 271); Chamcepelict

passerina , two weeks according to Bendire; Tyzzipanistria

bicolor , seventeen to eighteen days (Butler, Avic. Mag. N. S. Vol.

II., p. 100); Phaps elegans , eighteen days in cold weather (Seth-

Smith, Avic. Mag. N. S. II. p. 212 ; fifteen days in warmer

weather t. c. p. 263); Ocyphaps lophotcs, about nineteen days

(O. E. Cresswell (Avic. Mag., III. p. 204).


Mr. St. Ouintin reared a specimen of Pterocles alchata in

1897 (cf. Avic. Mag. V. p. 73), but does not note the duration of

incubation ; in 1900 his Sandgrouse failed to hatch. In 1899

Mr. Meade-Waldo bred Pintailed Sandgrouse (Avic. Mag. VI. p.

77) but gave no particulars as to the incubation ; nor did he again

in 1893. I hope one or both of these gentlemen will be able to

tell us how long these birds sit.



* It left the nest on January 23 rd, well feathered.



