140



Dr. E. Hopkinson—The Yellow-backed Whydali



and yellow feathers, but the tail is still long, and only a few

brown feathers have so far appeared on the head and cheeks.


Mar. 13. Brown increasing rapidly ; now a big patch on each side

of chest.


Mar. 19. Quite half-brown and looking most untidy, but tail

still long.


Mar. 31. Browner. Now beginning to shed tail. Yellow, I think,

much the same. Lively and fit.


' April 7. Turned into aviary. He is the only Whydali there.

Had there been others I do not think it would have been safe

to turn him out as he is very spiteful with other Whvdahs, but

inoffensive to smaller birds.


April 17. Still in aviary. Nearly all brown ; back brown, but

shoulders still yellow. All tail lost now ; there are now only

a few short feathers, the new tail.


May 13. Hardly more than a speck of yellow now showing on

each shoulder, but he has grown a new tail, a brown one. Is

now, I suppose, in complete out-of-colour plumage. Very fit.


Aug. 13. In nearly full colour again ; nearly all black, though

still a few brown feathers among the yellow on back.


Oct. 8. Still in aviary. Perfect condition. Have turned out one

of the other Whydahs ; they agree.


Oct. 24. Occasionally tremendous battles between the two

Whydahs, but apparently no harm done.


This morning this bird fell doum in a fit (rigidity and stupor

and almost “ light ”). Brandy and castor-oil; fire. Revived

and in the afternoon ate a spider.


Oct. 26. Head. A similar attack to his first, but with a different

ending.


No. 2. 1903 to 1912


1903. Jan. 15. No increase in yellow, but has moulted his tail and

is grovdng another.


Mar. 13. Perfect condition, but no increase in colour. Tail still

short.


May 1. Black appearing in specks ; old tail being shed and new

black feathers coming.



