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A. Ezra—Successful Rearing of the Blacksmith Plover



The same can be said of Waxbills and Weavers, which he has often

tried. Pekin Robins are disappointing. Red Cardinals do rather well.


Finally, Pigeons and Doves of sedentary habits can well be

established at liberty if there are not too many birds of prey about.

At Cleres they seldom survive the winter as the Brown Owls soon kill

them all after the trees have shed their leaves, which is a great

pity. Otherwise Australian Crested Pigeons, Tigrini, Palm, Senegal,

and different African and Asiatic species prove very satisfactory,

and a number of them can be seen at Woburn and at Foxwarren,

where they are a great attraction. Guinea and Snow Pigeons soon

disappear.


I hope these few hurried lines, an answer to an S 0 S message for

copy from our Editor, may induce more of our members who possess

the necessary room, to try some of the birds mentioned. They will

lose practically none of them, by taking precautions, and add very

much to their pleasure and interest in watching birds at liberty, in full

possession of their natural power of flight. Furthermore, flying birds

are more inclined to nest and to produce fertile eggs.



SUCCESSFUL REARING OF THE

BLACKSMITH PLOVER


(Hoplopterus speciosa)


By A. Ezra


This attractive looking Plover is a native of East and South Africa,

and as a rule a resident species, but migrant in Natal, where it is only

found during the cold weather. It is never found far from water,

and feeds mostly on the border of swamps and marshy ground, on

worms, insects, and molluscs.


They are often met in small flocks of about a dozen birds, and are

not at all wild. When nesting it will fly at an intruder, and try to

drive him away, making an awful noise all the time. They are par¬

ticularly noisy birds, and often frighten and disturb game. The call

is a shrill metallic “ Click Click ” rather like the sound of the black¬

smith’s hammer, hence its name. The nest is a shallow depression on



