on avicultural notes from the P.Z.S. 251



and birds brought home by Kendall, a brother of the then Lieutenant-

Governor of Fort St. Mary and other British possessions in the

neighbourhood. These were described by Ogilby at a meeting of

the Society in July, 1835. Among the birds were Numida rendalli

(described on p. 104), a smaller race of N. cristata, and the Secretary

Bird. The latter is now but a very occasional visitor to the Gambia,

but is, I believe, not uncommon in the neighbouring parts of Senegal,

where the country is more desert-like and more suited to its require¬

ments.


The volumes contain numberless breeding records. Of these

an early one is that of Chinese Cranes on p. 369, 1861. Another still

earlier record is that of the successful breeding of Sandwich Island

Geese at Knowsley in 1834.


In the previous year we are told of the breeding of the now

extinct Passenger Pigeon. A pair began to build on April 25th, 1832,

in a tree in their enclosure. The hen was the builder, the cock

collected the materials — sticks and straw. When he brought these

he “ alighted on the back of the female with each fresh supply, so as

not to disarrange any part of the nest which she had formed.” The

nest was finished in one day, one egg was laid on the 26th, and the

hen commenced sitting at once. The young were hatched in sixteen

days. The male relieved the female during the incubation period.

Another instance of the breeding of this species is mentioned as

having occurred at about the same time in the menagerie of the

President, i. e. Lord Stanley, Earl of Derby, at Knowsley.


The last living Passenger Pigeons in the Zoo collection were

three presented in 1883. The last of these died in 1889. See note

in the ‘ Ibis,’ 1912, p. 218. The very last survivor of the race died,

after a long life in captivity, only a few years ago in America, I believe

at Cincinnati, but have not the record to refer to at the time of

writing.*


Two examples of hybrid Passenger Pigeon x Turtur risorius

are mentioned (1849, p. 172) as being then in the collection. In the

same place is a note on a hybrid Goura coronata x victorice, which

was hatched on September 24th and lived four days.


Other mentions of hybrids which I noted down were : 1861,



* See Dr. Hornaday’s letter in our February issue.—G. R.



