168



Correspondence



DEATH OF AN OLD WOODPECKER


Visitors to Foxwarren will be sorry to hear of the death of my old

Brazilian Yellow-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes flavifrons). The

bird had been in my possession for seven years, and for some time

before this our late President, Mr. H. D. Astley, had him. I believe

he was about 15 years old, which is not a bad age for a Woodpecker.

He was delightfully tame, and a great pet, and we miss him very

much.


A. Ezra.


THE FIDELITY OF A BRAZILIAN TEAL


So much at one time and another has been written about the so-

called Lovebird-like devotion of certain pairs of birds in confinement

that I venture to place on record the very practical manner in which

the bereaved male of a pair of Brazilian Teal quickly consoled himself,

and evidently, from his point of view, made the very best of unforeseen

circumstances.


Our stock of Brazilian Teal ( N . brasiliensis) at the time of the

occurrence (20th May of the present year) included an unattached

female of 1931 and a devoted breeding pair. The latter had been

inseparable for several years, and the male, an important little person

amongst other Ducks, was ever ready to guard the hen or spend his

fife fussing around her. On the evening of the 19th instant it was

noticed for the first time that the female of this pair (probably a very

old bird) was much amiss, the male appearing greatly distressed and

trying to induce her to feed. In the morning she was found dying

amidst some tall meadow grass ; the male meanwhile, intensely agitated,

and piteously calling, was engaged in keeping off some too inquisitive

Tree Ducks from the scene. On removing the body some regret was

naturally felt at having a rather valuable breeding pair of birds broken,

and great sympathy was extended to the pathetic little widower.

Concern, however, was entirely misplaced, as by 6 p.m. of the

same day he was happily wedded to the lonely little hen (a bird he

previously would not look at), and at the time of writing (1st June)

still continues by her side.



A. F. Moody.



