The Giza Zoological Gardens.



269



amicably together in a very fine flight, and when I left in April

several of them were showing signs of nesting. Ostriches, being

almost in their native habitat, do very well, and there were

examples of two distinct races; a pair from the Sudan were

laying and it was hoped that they might be induced to sit and

hatch.


On the large pond, which is crowded during the winter

with several kinds of wild duck, were some Pelicans (. Pelecamis

o 7 iociotahis and P. rufescens) in splendid feather and condition—

the former especially showing that delicate pink hue so seldom

seen in captive birds. These bred and reared young last year

(1908) but had not yet commenced nesting this year. They have

a peculiar way of driving the fish, in which the pond abounds.

They all swim up together in a line, generally ending up in one

of the narrow bays, when they quickly scoop up what fish they

can and then proceed to drive another part. The collection

contains a fair number of Doves, though the number of species

is not very great and those mostly of the commoner kinds. The

Herons and Ibises are fairly well represented and there is an

especially nice aviary of Buff-backed Herons ( Ardea bubulcus )

which used to breed freely, but have now become rather too

crowded to do so.


There are single examples of the Sacred Ibis, Black-necked

Ibis, Australian Ibis, Purple and Night Herons, Tittle Bittern

and several common Herons.


The Game-Birds are represented by several Pheasants of

the species most commonly kept ( e.g . Golden, Silver and Amherst)

and two very fine hens of the Javanese Peafowl, as well as a very

fine lot of Hey’s Rock Partridges (. Ammoperdix heyi). A good des¬

cription and plate, of this species was given in the Magazine by

Mr. Trevor Battye a few years back. * Mr. Battye correctly

identified his birds as A. heyi, but the following month, at the

instance of Mr. Ogilvie Grant, he stated that they belonged to

the Southern form ( A. cholmleyi). This latter form may be

recognised from the true A. heyi, which comes from Southern

Palestine, by its much darker colour and by the absence of the

white forehead.



Avic. Mag., Ser. II., Vol. III., pp. 263 & 346. (1905).



