284 Rough Notes on the Birds at Scampston Hall.


ROUGH NOTES ON THE BIRDS AT

SCAMPSTON HALL.


Perhaps the following rough notes may be interesting.


My Ravens began to build this year on the 2nd February,

and they have reared two fine young birds, which I have just

sent to a fellow aviculturist in Norfolk who, I know, will give

them a comfortable home.


The Demoiselle Cranes have two young ones, hatched in

Whitsun week, and doing well.


A fine pair of Pteroclurus senegallus , a species of Sand-

grouse which I think has not yet been bred in this country, have

laid several eggs, but will not sit. I have placed two of their

eggs in the nest-hole of a pair of P. alchatus, together with one

of their own, and they are being incubated.


The old pair of Suow3 ? ’ Owls, now in their 16th year, have

a nest (5 eggs), and are near hatching. My only adult Great

Bustard has laid several eggs, raided, in spite of “ scarecrows,’’

as I thought by Rooks or Jackdaws. But one evening I saw a

White Crane walking about with an egg in his beak, the contents

dribbling on to the ground, with the old hen Bustard disconso¬

lately following him. The Crane was removed, and the Bustard

laid again, and is now sitting on a couple of farmyard goose eggs.


Two pairs of Temminck’s Tragopans have laid eggs, as

usual in old Woodpigeons nest, purposely fixed up in bushes at

some height from the ground. One clutch of eggs was unfertile ;

but the other resulted in two fine young birds.


A Capercaillie hen made a beautiful nest at the foot of a

birch tree. As she sat her tail used to extend erect up the

stem of the tree. Not feeling very great confidence in her, for

though imported several years ago she is timid and shy, as are

all wild caught Capers in my experience, I took her eggs and

hatched them (6) under a hen, giving her some fowls’ eggs. She

has brought off several young chickens, and it is curious to see

how wild they are under her guidance, it being quite difficult to

get a sight of them in the long grass and reeds where they hide

up. Three of the young Capercaillies are doing well.


Two Grey hens have been sitting for some time. As their

hatching dates approach we shall take their eggs too.



