212



N. Nicholson—Trials of an Aviculturist



of a small bird. The temperature right, I placed the eggs carefully

amongst the vegetable down and drove out to the particular place

where I met my friend who conducted me to the nest.


After transferring the eggs I remained a little while to see if the

Eobin went back to the nest, which she eventually did.


After fourteen days’ incubation I drove through to make a personal

inspection, and was pleased to find that three young Bluebirds had

hatched.


I made arrangements for my friend to keep me posted with informa¬

tion as to how things were progressing and decided to take the young

at twelve days and hand-rear them. Unfortunately it was not to be.

When the young were seven days old there was a violent storm with

a torrential downpour of rain lasting for a whole day. Fearing the

worst and having had no word I decided to drive out and, to my dismay,

upon arriving, met my friend who had just been to the nest to

investigate, and had found the young Bluebirds dead and the nest

soaking wet. The nest was situated in a loose stone wall near the top

and immediately above it two stones joined with an aperture of about

3 inches. Consequently the rain fell right into the nest and the water

drained down into the nest from each side of the stones.


Approximately a fortnight later the hen Bluebird was busy once

again carrying nesting material, and chose the same nesting box as

previously. The nest was soon completed and five eggs laid. Having

in the meantime located a Eobin’s nest in the same area as the previous

one I decided to adhere to the advice already mentioned. The laying

of the wild Eobin and Bluebird exactly coincided. The eggs were

transferred and the wild Eobin’s eggs placed under the Bluebird as

I was still anxious for her to have another attempt at rearing young.

Leaving the wild Eobin’s nest with the knowledge that the Eobin

had apparently accepted the Bluebird’s eggs by her quick return to

the nest, I felt that young Bluebirds were going to be mine after all.

Curious to relate, the Bluebird refused to accept the Eobin’s eggs as

a substitute for her own and finally deserted the nest.


The day following I determined to drive out and see if everything

was in order at the other nest. Imagine my surprise, on approaching,

to find that all the Bluebird’s eggs were broken, and lay just outside



