124



Mr. R. Phillipps,



suitable and for the best ; it was our cruel weather they were

unable to withstand. And their slow development should not be

overlooked. These two points, it seems to me, throw light on

the failure of Mrs. Johnstone to rear the young of Fraser’s

Touraco in 1904 (N.S. III., p. 26) and again in 1905, and also the

young Satin-birds in 1902 (N.S. I., p. 63). Writing from niemorj',

the feet legs and thighs of the latter were quite exceptionally

developed; but the full significance of the point did not occur

to me when I wrote the account that appeared at page 66.


The actual bodies of the young Regents were better

clothed than were the young Satin-birds at nearly double the age,

but their thighs and necks were practically naked. The orifices

of the ears were horribly open and exposed to the cold ; it was

not until quite the end of September that anything worthy of

the name of ear-coverts could be seen, these not being fully

grown until well into October. The nostrils were covered and

hidden. The feathers of the tail were slow to appear, first

peeping out about August 28; but by September 8 those of the

elder bird were free and full, and some three inches long.


The eyes were large, full, round, and black with a bluish

tinge; inside of mouth at first deep orange, but later becoming

lighter ; on September 14 the feathers on nape, cheeks, ear-

coverts, sides of head and face generally, although there, were

undeveloped, and of a sandy colour ; these very slowly grew

during September. Chest, &c., white edged with dark brown,

the markings lower down becoming straight bars, but less

numerous and less distinct, and towards abdomen quite faint.


The honey-comb markings on the mantle and upper back

were clear and pronounced from the first, but the white down did

not entirely disappear from the lower back for some time. Later,

viewed from behind and glancing downwards, there were the

large conspicuous globular markings of the mantle, decreasing

in size and changing to blotches and irregular lines, enlarging

again but more smudged on the lower back, and finally dis¬

appearing in faint washes on the upper tail-coverts, which other¬

wise were then of the same shade of brown as the tail itself.

Not less than three inner secondaries of each wing, and the

scapulars, were included in this speckled stream. To enter more



