The Marquess of Tavistock—Neglect of Duty



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for destructiveness, bit through the stoutest wire netting obtain¬

able, and escaped one day at noon. Nothing more was seen of them

that day, but early next morning a familiar carrion-crow-like croak

was located from the sky, and both birds were identified several

gunshots high making a bee-line for some high timber 3 or 4

miles distant. Following them there, it was found they had moved

on. To cut short these unpleasant reminiscences, I need only

add that a bitterly cold spell setting in at the time, both birds

were eventually recovered 14 miles distant, injured and exhausted

beyond recovery.


In making passing mention of 1934, our most promising

youngsters to date, 15th July, are seven well-grown South American

Shovelers, 3 Javan Jungle Fowl, 1 Japanese Crane, and various

broods of duck. Our very recent additions, some of them owing

to the lamented death of the late Mr. G. H. Gurney, include Pileated

and Buff-backed Herons, Tiger Bitterns, Black Storks, White-

backed Trumpeters, White and Patagonian Black-cheeked Ibis,

White-crested Jay Thrushes, and one very interesting and rare

Maleo (Megacephalon maleo )■—a curious pink-breasted bird which is

a native of Celebes.



NEGLECT OF DUTY


By The Marquess of Tavistock


It is a rather curious fact that cock birds with a strongly

developed paternal instinct often display, both in freedom and

captivity, the utmost annoyance and distress should they have reason

to believe that their mates are neglecting their domestic duties.


Sometimes the trouble arises through the hen being, in her

husband’s opinion, unduly slow in starting to lay and sit, but the

male may be quite as upset—in fact, in some cases much more so—

should his partner imperil the safety of the eggs or young by

remaining long off the nest when they need brooding. How a cock

bird can know that the safety of his offspring is endangered by lack



