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Correspondence , Notes , etc.



The reason why the Barbary, and doubtless some other Doves, are

commonly supposed to lay on successive days lies, I think, in the fact that

the first egg is laid in the afternoon about 5 o’clock, or later, and is thus

overlooked until the following morning. The second egg seems to follow

about 10 in the morning of the next day but one; so the conclusion is

drawn that the first egg was similarly laid the day before, thus apparently

some 41 hours must elapse between the laying of the two eggs in the case

of the Barbary Dove.


In conclusion, we shall always be liable to get conflicting accounts

as to the duration of incubation of the same species, as one bird may sit

closer than another, or the outside temperature may be hot or cold; and

we know, in the case of the domestic hen, that the freshness or otherwise of

the eggs has its etfect on the germ. * T. H. Newman.



THE ROCK GRASS-PARRAKEET.


In describing a visit to Rottuest Island, Western Australia, in the

January number of the Emu, Mr. F. Lawson gives the following interesting

note 011 the Rock Parrakeet (Neophema petrophila), a species closely allied

to, and which has very possibly been imported under the name of, the

Elegant Grass-Parrakeet ( N . elegans) :


“This pretty little species is fairly common, but seems to favour the

Western side of the Island, where it breeds on several small islets, and

occasionally on the most precipitous slopes of the mainland cliffs. For

a nesting site it takes advantage of any natural hollow in the limestone

rock. I examined half-a-dozen or more nests. All of these were on the

summits or slopes of islets, not in the face of the cliffs. The favourite

situation appeared to be under a large slab of rock over-hung by a profuse

growth of vegetation (Mesembryanthemum ). In one instance I found

young in down in a slight hollow in the sandy soil, simply concealed by

vegetation, and without other shelter. The eggs vary from four to six;

they are inclined to be spherical, and of the usual white colour. When

the nest is being examined, the old birds fly round with great rapidity, or

perch on a neighbouring rock, whence they exhibit great anxiety. Young

in first plumage lack the blue forehead band. In traversing the island I

often disturbed pairs or small parties of this Parrakeet, generally in the

more open parts. Their chief food seems to be small round seeds, but I

could not identify of what species of plant.”



* On Feb. 22nd Mr. Newman sent me the above notes, and I asked him to publish

them in the Magazine. On the 23rd my white Barbary Dove, paired to Necklaced Dove,

went to nest at 5 p.m., and laid shortly afterwards. On the 24th she only left the nest

to feed, sitting close all day; soon after 10 a.m. on the 25th she left the nest and I

found a second egg had been laid. The cock then began to sit. One young was

hatched on March 10th, the other egg was clear. The previous hatching was probably

delayed by the cold weather.—A. G. Butler.



