The Marquess of Tavistock—Notes for 1935 227


NOTES FOR 1935


By The Marquess of Tavistock


The breeding season of 1935 has so far produced only very moderate

results, largely, it would appear, owing to the spell of arctic weather

in mid-May which put many birds back badly.


Yellow-mantled Rosellas have reared four young and the hen is

sitting again. Last year they reared six in their first brood and the hen

laid again but did not sit.


Mealy Rosellas have reared two young and the hen is sitting again.

Last year they reared four and did not nest a second time. A young

hen bred in 1934 has not laid.


One pair of Pennant’s have six young in the nest and the other

pair have eggs.


The Yellow-bellies that reared four young last year are sitting.

Their offspring of the previous season have not bred.


The White Roseate Cockatoo paired to a light grey hen have young

in the nest.


The albino pair laid five eggs which they broke after a month,

but they seem to have been infertile.


The Leadbeater’s appeared interested in their nest but were so

put off by the cold weather in May that they fell into moult and have

done nothing.


Banksian Cockatoos seem about to lay but the eggs are always

infertile and I have given up all hopes with them until I have changed

the cock.


A Worcester’s Hanging Parrot, paired to a Sclater’s, also always

has infertile eggs. For some years she laid and incubated in a nest-

box, but the last two seasons seems to have decided that she might

have better luck if she conducted operations on the sand-tray in the

aviary shelter !


My old pair of Crimson-wings hatched two young but they were

killed in the nest by black ants. These insects, in spite of their small

size, are little brutes when they can get hold of any defenceless creature.

On another occasion they decimated some young green tree frogs-

I had bred, when they were hibernating in a cage in the greenhouse.



