THE


Avicultural Magazine


BEING THE JOURNAL OF

THE AVICULTURAL SOCIETY

FOR THE STUDY OF

FOREIGN & BRITISH BIRDS

IN FREEDOM & CAPTIVITY



Third Series.—V ol. XII.—No. 7 .—All rights reserved. JULY, 1921.



AVICULTURAL NOTES

By Hubert D. Astley

(Continued from p. 87.)


For some six or seven years a female Ruddy-headed Goose

(Chloephaga riibicliceps) had almost entirely ignored her own kith and

kin at Brinsop, and has been dubbed “ The lady in waiting ”, for, like

Mary’s lamb, she follows a pair of Manchurian Cranes everywhere.

If the Cranes move too rapidly at times the Goose, which is full-winged,

catches them up by flying. And then came a male Monaul, he who

struts amongst the poultry, taking upon himself the office of lord-in¬

waiting, and driving off the Goose, so that at last the latter had to

resign her post. It is most incongruous to see the Monaul in full and

resplendent uniform, trotting at the Crane’s heels. The Goose was less

so, but Manchurian Cranes and Monauls are so widely apart in

appearance and habits. If the Cranes do not proceed as fast as the

Monaul thinks they should, he pecks their heels, and will trot in this

manner all about a large meadow. The Cranes must share the feelings

of royalty and foster a desire to be sometimes permitted to go out on

their own.


I have bad luck with my Cranes. Each year Manchurians, White¬

necked and Australian, have eggs (they are true pairs), but the eggs

are always infertile. Yet the Australians, at any rate, have been seen

to mate.


This year I have managed to find more Ducks’ eggs than usual,

for the Ducks are at liberty on the moat surrounding the house, and the



7



