J. C. Bennett—Breeding Notes



301



diately. Come back again later to feed them and they know, in some

uncanny way, and are as quiet as ever.


A pair of Jamaican Ground Doves, obtained rather late in the

season, raised my hopes by showing signs of nesting. An ordinary

Pigeon pan was placed in their aviary with a few bits of grass and

straw arranged so that a few pieces drooped gracefully over the edge

and after a few days the cock bird was obviously interested and

repeatedly drove the hen towards the nest. For weeks nothing happened

and then the hen was seen to be sitting, the cock taking his turn on

the nest. Two eggs—rather large and white—were laid, but I discovered

that the birds sat steadily during the day but spent the night side

by side on a perch in the outside portion of the flight. This method

of incubation, as might have been expected, did not result in the eggs

hatching, and I am afraid it is now too late in the season to expect

any results, but there may be a chance as in the next aviary a pair

of Indian Green-winged Doves have been steadily producing young

ones since last February.


Three pairs of Pekin Robins, each in a separate flight, have done

nothing. At one time my hopes were raised by noticing the hen of the

best pair carrying pieces of dried grass about, but that was as far

as matters went.


Last year a pair of Pileated Finches, although they had a flight

to themselves and everything that I could imagine they would require,

made no attempt at breeding. The cock, always in perfect plumage,

was found dead one morning. This year the hen Pileated seemed

attracted by a cock Indigo Bunting so they were placed together.

At first they kept at opposite ends of the perches and later were seen

feeding side by side, but that was as far as matters progressed and

at the present time the Bunting is going out of colour. Back in

June I was moving cautiously down the garden one night to listen to

the Nightingale and soon after taking up my position under some

trees the song began, first as a sleepy twitter and then becoming

stronger. Returning to the house by another path I found that the

“ Nightingale ” to which I had been listening was my Indigo Bunting.

Perhaps the influence of moonlight and a lovely June night added

fco the glamour of the song but it was very beautiful. I do not recollect



