280 Birds of Paradise in Little Tobago, West Indies.


across any hens, but I again failed. I saw many cocks wherever I

passed.


23rd. — I saw a few cocks to-day, and one hen ; she had a bit

of grass in her beak, with which she flew away to a tree. I saw no


more.


29th.— In making my rounds to-day I met as many as nine

cocks, but not one hen.


30th. — Again to-day I have not seen a hen bird. I met a

few cocks ; even the cocks I notice are not as common as they were

before.


[Note by Sir William Ingram. —After this he reports having

seen no hen until on December 18th he notes having seen one hen

in the act of mating with a cock bird.]


December 19th. — I saw three hen birds for a very short time.

20th. — I saw three hen birds to-day but just for a few minutes,

and they were off. The cocks are everywhere.


21st. —I saw another hen mating, the only hen I have seen


to-day.


29th. — Have been away from the island during Christmas


week.


[Note by Sir William Ingram. — In New Guinea, judging from

travellers’ accounts, Birds of Paradise breed during November and

December, so it seems my Apodas have not altered their habits in

this respect. I think there is little doubt that they are increasing;

as the Apoda only lays one or two eggs in a sitting it is not to be

expected that their number will be added to very rapidly. It seems

strange that up to the present not one of their nests have been dis¬

covered. Prom what I have heard, in New Guinea they nest in

trees about 15 ft. from the ground, so it is likely they choose high

trees in Little Tobago for this purpose. My caretaker further reports

that he saw several young ones from January 5th to the end of

February. This is the time one would expect young Paradise Birds

in New Guinea.]



