on the Nesting of the Partridge Bronzewing Pigeon. 41


unfledged and bare under its wings and on sides of body, and a

bare space without feathers on each side of upper surface of head.

It does not seem able to fly yet ; when jumping down about

two feet it only seemed just able to break its fall, though the

quills are well developed. The green speculum of the adult is

represented by blackish feathers only washed with green.


July 16th. Young one growing fast: tail beginning to

lengthen and showing beyond the wings.


July 20th. Twenty-four days old, beginning to fly, saw it

flutter about four feet up wire netting ; it is getting wilder, still

very bare under wings and on sides of top of head, both egg

teeth still in position.


July 21st. Young one walks about more like its parents

when frightened squats down beside a clump of grass, etc., but

runs away as soon as it thinks itself unobserved. One of the old

birds offered to feed it, but it did not seem hungry ; the elder

young bird came running up and was fed, though it was now two

mouths old and nearly as big as its parents.


July 24th. Second young one is four weeks old and has

got the proportions of the adult bird, as its wings and tail have

grown. The white marks on the face are as conspicuous as in

the adult; it is about half the size of its parents. The feathers

are coming on the sides of the head and are nearly ready to burst

their sheaths ; white line behind eye now very plain ; chin, throat

and space a little below eyes and ears still almost bare of feathers,

both egg teeth in place but becoming very worn and small \

sides of body and under surface of wings very bare, but feathers

coming. When frightened it flies strongly for several yards.


July 28th. Very vigorous and able to fly well; feathers on

side of head very nearly full grown, a black row of feathers has

appeared over each eye, more white feathers on throat, but chin

and sides of lower mandible quite bare, bare skin greyish flesh

colour ; egg tooth from upper mandible gone, lower one still in

place, but seems now almost to project from end of mandible, so

near to tip is it; underneath wings still showing bare skin but

many feathers nearly full grown.


July 29th. The young resembles its parents in shape and

proportion, but is fully a third smaller, the tail also appears



