104



Mr. D. Seth-Smith,



than of the Rosella. It would be interesting and instructive to

know if this pair of hybrids would breed.


The Class for Insectivorous and Fruit-eating Birds not

elsewhere provided for contained an interesting collection. Mr.

Fj'field sent a Touraco, Mr. Osbaldeston a Green-billed Toucan,

Mr. Townsend a Hardwicke’s Chloropsis and a Blue-cheeked

Barbet, Messrs. Thwaites and Lloyd a Waxwing, and Mr. B.

Frostick a male Turdus fumigatus. D. S.-S.



THE MARTINETA TINAMOU BREEDING IN

CAPTIVITY: POLYANDRY IN BIRDS.



This beautiful crested Tinamou, scientifically known as

Calodromus, Calopczus, or Eudromia elegans, inhabits Western

Argentina and Patagonia. The Zoological Society has possessed

it on many occasions, and it has bred in the Gardens two or

three times. I am not aware, however, of any complete account

of the nidification of the species having been published in this

country, but in the Bulletin de la Societe Nationals d’Acclimata-

tion de France for October, 1903 (for a copy of which I am

indebted to our Honorary Member, Dr, P. L. Sclater) appears

a detailed account by M. Dulaurier, of the nesting of this

species in his aviaries. He tells us that most of those imported

arrive in bad condition, and it is difficult to acclimatise them;

but after several fruitless attempts he at last obtained some.

To keep them in good health the author found that it was

important to give them plenty of green food such as young

grass and groundsel. During the Spring the male frequently

uttered his piercing cry of two or three notes; he also became

very excited, following the hen and keeping an eye on the

shelter, under which she layed her eggs, and covering them

carefull} 7 after each laying. He alone undertook incubation and

the rearing of the young.


M. Dulaurier commenced with a single pair, but so many



