298 N. Wharton-Tigar—Breeding the Sulphur-bellied Tanager


3 feet from the floor, and on my return I found a fourth family well

on the way.


Now, on 19th September, I am every moment expecting the clamour

which proceeds from the heather at meal-times to be transferred to the

beech branch. Will Reuben and Ruby complete their score ?



PARTIAL SUCCESS IN BREEDING THE

SULPHUR-BELLIED TANAGER


(Tanagra mexicana)


By N. Wharton-Tigar


This Tanager is popularly known here as vieilloti : whether this

is correct I am not sure. It belongs to a group which comprises vieilloti,

mexicana, and flaviventris from Trinidad, Northern Brazil, and Guiana,

media from Venezuela, boliviana from Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombo, and

Peru, and brasiliensis from South-Eastern Brazil. All of them were,

until the last year or two, very rare in captivity.


I had brasiliensis at one time, a duller colour above, and quite

white below. Mr. Ezra has boliviana, perhaps the gem of the series.

Vieilloti or mexicana, the subject of these notes, is, when first imported,

very bright sulphur yellow below, bright blue to almost black above,

the wings, which are black, show a greenish tinge, and there are two

very bright shoulder patches ; the yellow fades a good deal in captivity.


I acquired my pair, which came I believe from Trinidad, in the

winter of 1934 ; first the hen, quite a youngster just beginning to show

colour; later came the cock, a very fine fellow, larger, especially in

head, bolder in mien, and as the sexes are alike I hoped I had secured

a true pair and so it turned out.


They never fought, but during the winter months I saw no courtship

whatever. In late May they were turned out into a large planted

aviary. Whenever I watched, they appeared to be unconcerned.

I did, however, once catch the cock feeding the hen; they never seemed

to emerge from any nest, until one day, when I produced mealworms,

there was intense excitement! the hen snatched one, and flew into a

wooden travelling box fitted with a small shallow basket, in the corner



