278 The African Black Crake



THE AFRICAN BLACK CRAKE


Gallinula flavirostra Swainson, 1837. Senegal. ( Rallus niger. Gmelin,

1789. Cape. (Not Miller.) Habitat: Tropical Africa.


The first arrival was, I believe, the small lot brought by Gurney

from East Africa in 1908. Delacour had some at Cleres about 1920,

and Gamage imported some in 1926 (see Avi. Mag., 1927, 60). The

Zoo received their first specimen in 1927 (probably from Gamages

consignment) and Webb brought a few more from Portuguese East

Africa in May, 1930, three of which went to Whitley’s, where I saw

them in 1931. Since then others have occasionally arrived.


This Crake was bred by Sich in 1930, about six young being reared

from two (? three) nests. See Avi. Mag., 1930, 270 ; 1931, 57, 81

(medal) ; 1933, 106.


I knew this bird well in West Africa, and have kept them occasion¬

ally, finding them easy to feed, as they thrived on boiled rice as a staple.

At home they would probably not be so easy as the supply of insect

food, so easy in Africa, where white ants, grasshoppers, etc., are always

obtainable in any number, would be more difficult, but those who have

kept them here could tell us more about that.


Coloured plates of the species are to be found in Swainson’s Birds

of West Africa (1927), vol. ii, 244, plate 28 (old, but quite good), and

Bannerman’s Birds of Tropical West Africa (1931), ii, p. 14, plate, p. 31.


The name niger used for so long has had to give way to the later

flavirostra on account of preoccupation.


The above was written as an answer to a correspondent, but may be

sufficiently interesting to other readers to permit its appearance here

again.


E. II.



ORNAMENTAL PLIEASANT SOCIETY


Before these notes appear in print, many members of the O.P.S.

will have made a trip to Cleres to view the wonderful aviaries.

M. Delacour very kindly invited us and I am glad that a most satis¬

factory number will avail themselves of his hospitality. The result

of this visit will be announced in next month’s Magazine. I am pleased



