352



Sir William Ingram,



Some people might think him a stupid bird, but bis

crippled state makes it difficult to judge of him.


Undoubtedly he is a beautiful one, and a gentler or less

noisy member of the Parrot family could not be found.


I liave’nt had him during winter-time, so I cannot say

much as to his delicacy, or contrariwise, his hardiness. He

doesn’t give me the idea of being a delicate bird.


His large brown eye at once makes one think he is of a

gentle disposition.


[Tlie Pionopsittacus pileatus inhabits South-Eastern Brazil and

Paraguay, but it is very rarely brought alive to Europe. A few specimens

were imported about a year ago by Mr. F. C. Thorpe, the well-known dealer

at Hull, and a male was exhibited at the Crystal Palace Bird Show held in

October, 1904, as recorded in this Magazine for November last (p. 23). A

fine pair, from which our illustration was taken, are now at the Zoological

Gardens.— Ed.]



BREEDING GRAY’S BARE-THROATED FRANCOLIN.


Pternistes leucoscepus. %


By Sir William Ingram, Bart.


In February of this year I purchased four pairs of Gray’s

Francolins at Hamlyu’s the bird dealer’s. They were placed in

an outside aviary having access to a covered shed 12 feet broad

and 24 feet in length : this shed being divided into two com¬

partments with a door in the partition which was left open.

In the outside aviary, which was 40 feet long, there was a

luxuriant growth of long grass and clumps of privet bushes,

just the sort of thing to tempt a Francolin to make a nest in;

but birds, like human beings, have their own ideas where to

choose a site for their nursery, and the first choice of two of the

pairs was the covered shed—one nest being made in each com¬

partment. The hen that settled upon the innermost position

made her nest, or rather scraped a circular depression, amongst


* It seems very doubtful whether Pternistes leucoscepus should be regarded as a good

species, being merely a pale-coloured race of P. infuscatus. The latter species inhabits

Somaliland, but as one proceeds northwards into Abyssinia the birds become slightly paler

in colour, and these have been named P, leucoscepus by Gray; but some specimens are

intermediate between the two races, and it is difficult to say to which they should be

referred. Those lately imported have been of the pale-coloured race.— Ed.



