The successful Nesting of Ft user's Touracou. 87


from one quite small patch of ground last season, and 500,000

were sent from the island to Cape Town. On our way back to

Cape Town we saw some Cape Sea-Lions, Otaria pusilla, one of

which in progressing took leaps right out of the water.



THE SUCCESSFUL NESTING OF FRASER'S


TOURACOU.


By Mrs. Johnstone.


In the November (1904) number of the Magazine (N. S.


Vol. III. No. 1) an account was written of the successful nesting


but the unsuccessful rearing of the young of Fraser's Touracou,


and in the following issue a hope was expressed that the missing


link in the life of the young bird might at some future time be


added.


Through the patient perseverance of these birds aided by


clumsy attempts on my part to supply as far as possible, sub-

stitutes for their natural food and nesting accommodation (a

poor exchange for their own tropical forests and never-ending

supplies of animal diet), I am now able to add that link.


Last year the nesting took place in a small outdoor aviary

•quite exposed to the weather, and when the young one flew, as

now I have no doubt that it did, and was not pushed out by its

parents as I imagined — it fluttered into some wet long grass,

with the result that it promptly died of exposure and cold. This

happened on two occasions.


In the early winter of last }^ear my new aviaries were com-

pleted and the birds placed therein, and the divisions, although

not large, are quite large enough to give these energetic birds

room for exercise. Half a hurdle, closely covered with ropes of

hay, so closely that it formed an even platform, was placed high

in a corner on a level with the top of the door and as far from

the window as possible. On this platform a rough nest of sticks

was built close to the wall and to the edge of the hurdle nearest

the door — a clever place, and the only place in the aviary which

it was not easy to see from the wire door.


On April 5th one egg was laid and, after three weeks'

patient sitting on the part of both parents, proved unfertile.



