Captain H. S. Stokes—The President's Party , 1933 193



Among new arrivals were a Humming Bird from the same con¬

signment as those displayed at the London Zoo and four species of

Sunbirds and some Bee-eaters brought by Mr. Webb from East Africa.


Breeding in the aviaries were Crowned Starlings, the hen flying at

liberty to feed her young, also Buppel’s Starlings, Derbyan, Queen

Alexandra, and Malabar Parrakeets.


There were numerous families of Alexandrine Parrakeets in the

nest-boxes, but unfortunately the eggs from the Blue cock and his

Blue-bred daughter were unfertile, and the young from the Lutino

pair of the same species were not reared.


In the enclosure for animals and large birds a very remarkable

feature was the nesting of two pairs of the rare Reynolds’ Ground

Cuckoos (<Carpococcyx renauldi) from Indo-China.


These birds have been in the aviaries for two or three years, but

last winter Mr. Ezra turned them out without even clipping their

wings. They did not stray away, and both females are now incubating

clutches of eggs in nests built a fair height from the ground. It is

greatly to be hoped that complete success will be achieved with their

breeding. On the smaller duck pond we were able to see a young

White-backed Duck from Madagascar (Thalassornis leuconota ) three-

quarters grown and quite independent of his parents. This is the first

breeding of the species in England, and indeed no one else has

succeeded in keeping it for long. The very rare Pink-headed Duck

from India was greatly admired, but unfortunately the chances of

breeding it have vanished for the present, as the only female died

during the winter. Many old friends among the birds which we have

been accustomed to see at Foxwarren were still there, and in their

usual faultless condition. Flocks of Cranes of three or four species,

Pheasants, Flamingoes, Geese, and Pea Fowl, all looked quite lovely

in their surroundings of lawn and woodland.


Mr. Leach proposed a vote of thanks to our hosts who were

heartily acclaimed.


Altogether it was a delightful party, so please Mr. President let us

come again next year.



