J. Delacour—Bird Notes from Cleres for 1932



35



pairs of Pheasants did not lay as usual. This was the case with Lewis’s,

Imperial, Siamese, Firebacks, G-ermain’s, and Palawan Peacock

Pheasants. Others, such as my best pairs of Monauls, laid one clutch

only. But we reared a fair number of Mikado, Elliot’s, Bel’s, Chinquis,

Monauls, Brown and Blue Crossoptilons, and of other less rare species.

It is particularly gratifying to have at last succeeded in breeding a good

number of the fine blue species ( Crossoptilon auritum ), which I imported

four years ago from Kansu, at a great expense, through the kind help

of Mr. Hampe. I have now six pairs and they can be considered as

established here. They are just as strong, hardy, and easy to rear

as the better-known brown Manchurian species.


Another interesting event was the first breeding in captivity of the

Bronze-tailed Peacock Pheasant ( Polyplectron chalcurum). A pair of

these quaint little birds purchased two years ago as Mr. Frost brought

them from Sumatra, started laying early in May. Unfortunately the

first clutch was destroyed by the Bheinart’s Argus, living in the same

aviary—which, by the way, is the largest compartment in my small

birds’ aviaries, 65 by 22 feet, and where crowds of Doves and small

birds live beside the Bheinart’s and Bronze-tails. However, instead

of depositing her next two eggs on the ground the little hen Bronze-tail,

which is quite tame, wisely chose for her nest one of the baskets hung

up under the roof for the use of Pigeons and Doves. I was surprised,

on 15th May, to find her sitting. The eggs were at once removed and

placed under a Bantam hen. One was clear, but the other one hatched

and the chick was reared to the adult stage without any more trouble

than an ordinary Chinquis. A fortnight after, two more eggs were laid

in a similar basket; both hatched in due time and the chicks grew

well. One, however, died in October ; the other one was removed to

an indoor aviary where he has been doing very well since.


The clutch of the Bronze-tailed Peacock Pheasant consists of two

eggs like that of all Polyplectrons. These eggs are pinkish white,

spotless, and measure about 49 by 30 millimetres. The chicks look

like young Chinquis but are very much darker, almost blackish

brown all over with very dark chestnut markings. They behave

just like any other young Polyplectrons. This year I have moved

my Palawans to that large aviary and removed the Bronze-tailed to



