184



On Egg-laying and Nesting Experiences.



too late and lost them; but I bred the species again in the two

succeeding years.


Columbuia picui. In 1900 I found an egg of this species on

the floor of the birdroom.


Ghamcepelia passerina. Built, but the hens died from egg-

binding.


Tympanistria tympanistria. I bred this species in an outdoor

aviary in 1906, 1907 and 1908 ; but indoors, although many eggs had

been laid and one youngster partly reared in 1903, I had never been

successful.


Chalcopcelia ckalcospila. The hen occasionally laid an egg in

a basket-nest in an indoor aviary ; but the cock would not take his

part in incubation, so that none was hatched.


Gkalmpkaps chrysocklora. The hen of a pair purchased in

1896 occasionally laid an egg, but never built: a pair turned into an

outdoor aviary in 1907 (after building but not laying in 1906) made

some pretence at courting but did not even attempt to build.


Phag)s ckalcoptera. I tried a pair of this species for many

years both in indoor and outdoor aviaries, giving them a hamper-lid

to nest upon, the hen laid many eggs, mostly fertile, and did her

duty in incubating them, hut the cock had gouty toes and always

managed to injure the eggs before they were ready to hatch.


OcyphMps lopkotes. The hen of a pair purchased in 1896

laid an egg on the ground; but though I kept the birds until 1903,

no further attempt was made at breeding.


Leiitoptila wellsi. A female received in exchange in 1898,

although unpaired, laid eggs incessantly during the whole of 1905,

and steadily incubated unless they were removed. I secured quite a

number of eggs for collections, but the bird so enfeebled itself that it

died early in the year following.


Leucosarcia picata. Although I could not persuade this

species to breed in an outdoor aviary, the birds were no sooner

brought indoors than the hen began to lay on a loose platform of

branches through which many eggs fell to the floor and others half

way through the twigs, so that none could be incubated.


Excalfactoria chinensis. Laid many eggs, but none were

hatched.



