340 Mr. H. E. Attewell,


amongst the roughest surroundings, so it would seem the most

beautiful birds' eggs are deposited in borings or holes on the

bare earth. For the size of the Tody their eggs are larger than

might be expected. So much for clutch No. i.


Not many yards distant another pair of Todies had laid

their young. Under exactly similar circumstances, here were a

probably two-day old chick, an egg about to hatch and another

in the earlier stage of incubation, its lustre was clouded.


It is quite evident incubation begins with the first egg

and that these are laid at some interval. The period of incuba-

tion is probably short and it may be the earth would assist rather

than retard the same, for, as in caverns, the temperature would,

in the mean, prove higher than in the tree-top.


Within little more than an hour I had the good or mis-

fortune to find four other breeding holes, nesting-places would

hardly be correct, for, in no case was so much as wisp or feather

to be found. In one case only did the boring deviate from a

slightly inclined and oblique shaft, and, in every case these were

of approximately 9 in. depth. The exception mentioned, quite

near the entrance, turned at right angle to the left, and thus, but

2 hi. from the surface, to which the shaft ran parallel, were

discovered three callow young with a very perceptible difference

in size.


The other two broods not } r et accounted for each contained

three 3'oung; one brood being partially and the other fully

fledged. In the hopes of rearing young Todies I carried home

these ten infants.


For four days they flourished exceedingly and their growth

was rapid. Wasp-grubs, moths, flies and such like were relished

and the readiness with which they fed filled me with hope. In

order to give them most regular feeding I carried them with me

to Kingston. It may have been an expression of approval or

dissent, but, at any rate, these tiny creatures were so voluble,

especially so when the tramcar stopped and more particularly so

on the homeward trip, that, on the morrow, I did not care to

advertise myself in this way and thankfully entered into a twelve

hours contract with Mrs. Attewell. The chirruping of the birds

being like that of a brood of chicken settling down for the night.



