Correspondence



191



of six or eight over the wide spaces of Regent’s Park, and settling on the

grass or on the trees near the lake, returning regularly to the neighbourhood

of the Eastern Aviary or Three-island pond for food. In the evenings they

visit the Sea Lions’ pond for any scraps of fish, and the flies attracted thereby,

and they have been accused of poaching lizards from the reptiliary.


Night Herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) have bred this year for the third

year in succession in the Great Aviary. There are three nests and already

three young birds have been successfully reared from one of these. The sites

selected have been the large clumps of ivy growing on the central supports.


A specimen of the Pygmy Hermit Humming Bird (Phaethornis pygmseas)

was recently exhibited in a separate case in the Tropical House. It is one

of the very smallest species, and apparently difficult to keep for any length

of time. This one survived for five weeks only, and the body was carefully

weighed, turning the scales at 1 gram 400 milligrams, or the exact weight of

a threepenny piece.


D. S-S.



MAGELLAN GOOSE ALLOWS HER EGGS TO COOL


There are so many things relating to bird culture which I’m afraid you

Europeans take as a matter of course and therefore do not mention, but

which would be most instructive to us Americans, so much younger at

bird-raising than you, that I venture to write regarding an experience of

mine which seemed rather unusual, and to ask whether any readers of

your Magazine have noted a similar procedure.


A few days since on inspecting the eggs of a Magellan Goose, I noted

that the shells were just pipped. This was early in the morning while the

weather was still cool and damp. The day turned off very hot indeed, and

a few hours later I saw the goose walking about with the gander, and she

continued to stay with him, away from the nest. This seemed foreign to

my usual experience with the variety, as the goose has usually sat most

closely while the eggs were hatching. On investigation, I found that the

goose had covered the eggs beautifully with her nest down, but had left

several small openings, apparently by intent. I infer that, because of the

great heat of the day, the goose decided (if geese do decide) that the eggs

would be better off with a light covering allowing a little air. At any rate,

all the eggs have hatched into strong robust goslings, so the treatment must

have been effective. I forgot to say that the goose stayed off all day, but

sat closely the same evening and through the night, bringing the goslings

off about noon the following day.


I have not happened to observe this particular behaviour before, and

wonder whether it is usual under like circumstances.


We find it necessary to yard our Magellans away from other geese, as

they are extremely vicious, not being excelled in this respect by such

varieties as the Spur-winged, Egyptian, Cereopsis, etc. I wonder if any

of your readers have some method whereby Magellans and other uncertain

tempered varieties can be safely kept in a mixed collection. One must be



