The Regent Bird.



123



swept from the grass, their favourite ones being grasshoppers.

If they got a big one they held it in one of their feet, balancing

themselves by throwing out a wing, at the same time resting on

their “ knees.” When I left Entebbe they were quite well and

used to roost in a tree close by. I hope to find them about still

when I return.


P.S.—There is a very fine and common Lark* throughout

the country with yellow breast and belly, and a black patch on

the breast in the male, which, in the female is reduced to a few

black spots. On one that I shot I found a large number of

minute ticks. I have never noticed them on birds before,

although many have lice of some sort. Is this common in

ground birds ?



THE REGENT BIRD.


Sericulus melinus.


By Reginald Phieeipps.

f Continued from page 96 J.


I must now wind up with some remarks concerning the

3^oung birds, which, however uninteresting to the general reader,

should be placed on record for future reference.


I am here faced with certain practical difficulties ; and

chief among them is that from their first appearance in the open

the developments and changes, infinitesimal and undiscernible

day by day, were continuous at any rate up till nearly the end of

November. Moreover, a Regent objects to being watched or

carefully looked at—it is always conscious of one’s presence, and

anything of that kind arouses its innate suspicions.


When the two young birds left the nest their legs and

wings were well developed, so that they could hop and jump

well and strongly ; within a day or so they could fly, and very

soon could fly well. They kept entirely to the trees (as long as

they were allowed to live naturally), and did not willingly

approach the ground for a very long time. Coming out of a

nest in a bushy tree in a subtropical climate, all would have been



Macronyx ctvceus .



