286



Bird Notes from the Zoological Ga?de?is.



young Hemprich’s Gull (Larus hemprichi). In 1896 Mr. Meade-

Waldo presented the Zoological Society with three of these Gulls,

a pair and their young one, which he had captured on board ship

in the Gulf of Aden. They are the only examples the Society

has possessed, and until this year the}' have shown no inclination

to nest.


Chiefly confined to the Gulf of Aden, little is known of

the nesting habits of Hemprich’s Gull, and so far as I know the

young in down has not been described. One expected a mottled

bird like the young of most of the Gulls, but greatly to one’s

surprise this chick is of a nearly uniform huffish white, slightly

darker on the back. The parent birds are laying again so we

hope to rear others.


I11 one of the outside aviaries of the Parrot House a pair

of Yellow-collared Parrakeets have reared a couple of young

ones, strong healthy birds, exactly like their parents, except that

their plumage is not quite so bright.


We recently had three Eider Duck’s eggs presented to us,

which were set under a hen, with the result that one hatched and

a nice young Eider is being reared with a brood of young Tufted

Ducks.


In one of the aviaries outside the Small Bird House a pair

of Mexican Rose Finches built a nest in a cage hung against the

wall, and have succeeded in hatching and rearing three young

birds.


At this time of year the pair of Australian Bee-eaters

which occupy one of these outside aviaries, form one of the most

attractive exhibits at the Gardens. They have now lived with us

for fifteen months and have done remarkably well. So tame are

they that they will fly on to one’s hands for mealworms and

appear absolutely fearless. Their activity on the wing is wonder¬

ful, and I do not believe that any bee, wasp or fly that enters the

aviary ever escapes them. They are constantly making flights

from the perch after insects that are to human eyes invisible, but

they always return with an insect of some sort in their beaks.

Bee-eaters are seldom kept in captivity, but in an aviary no birds

are more delightful. D. S.-S.



