162 Alfred Ezra—Nesting Notes from Foxwarren Park, 1933


Madagascar Partridges (Margaroperdix madagascariensis).

Three pairs of these Partridges laid twenty-nine eggs in all, and

some of these were placed under domestic hens, and some in an

incubator. Sixteen young were successfully reared. The males

attain their adult plumage at the first moult.


African Wattled Plover (Lobivanellus lateralis). After

laying four eggs by the 8th May, these birds began incubating in

a very poor fashion as they were very seldom seen near the eggs.

On the morning of the 19th June two eggs were noticed to be

hatching, and by noon they had disappeared from the nest. After

a search two young ones were found on the path at the far side

of the aviary. One was dead and the other one was kept alive

for thirty-six hours, but it was impossible to get it to eat anything.

I hope we shall yet be successful in breeding this very handsome

Plover.


Pied Grallina (Grallina picata). One egg was laid on the

27th April, but this was infertile. Two more eggs were laid in the

samq nest by the 8th June. One young was hatched out by the

23rd June. The other egg was infertile. The young one was

thrown out of the nest the next day. They again went to

nest and one egg was laid by the 22nd July, which was broken

six days later.


Superb Starling (Spero superbus). Several young ones

were hatched but as soon as they left the nest they were killed by

the Jays and Magpies in the aviary. In some cases the young were

even taken from the nest.


Royal Starling (Cosmopsarus regius). Two pairs of these

lovely birds built nests, but only one pair showed any interest in

the nest after it was built. One egg was laid on the 31st May, and

both birds took turn at incubating it. Unfortunately the egg was

infertile.


Amethyst Starling (Cinnyrinchus leucogasta). A pair of

these built a nest, consisting of leaves with a little mud added in

a bamboo log. The hen was frequently in this nest for long

intervals, but it was impossible to look into the nest as the bamboo

was eighteen inches long and the entrance hole was near one end



