

M. Amsler—Breeding Results at Delmonden Manor 43


but they most certainly will not tolerate any form of inquisitiveness in

their domestic affairs.


White-fronted or Jobi Island Doves were as prolific as usual

and at the moment, well past the middle of November, at least three

hens are incubating.


Peaceful Doves should, in my opinion, all be sent to an asylum

for birds—they refuse to make use of quite nice platforms and nests

provided by me and appear to prefer a convex surface for their ridiculous

nests. Their last act of insanity was to fill a large bowl containing their

drinking water with building materials. This happened each day for

about a week until finally I put the bowl on the ground, when they

mercifully went elsewhere. Only one was reared.


Diamond Doves have excelled themselves. Last year I had three

pairs in one large aviary and although there was little if any fighting

very few were reared. This season I put each pair in a separate aviary

except that in one case I had two hens with one cock—both these hens

had nests of fertile eggs. The total number reared was about sixteen

and the last squab left the nest to-day (28th November) after three

or four very hard frosts ; there are still two nests of eggs.


Green Avadavats were surprisingly satisfactory. I had two very

antique males, real patriarchs, for whom I bought two hens on the

occasion of the Society’s garden party in July ; by the end of August

one pair had brought off four young and the other pair fully reared

five which flew in mid-September. They have all withstood the recent

frosts but have now been caught up and caged.


My chief disappointment this year has been my failure with the

Greater Niltava (Niltava grandis), of which I have a beautiful pair.

These birds made a half-hearted attempt to nest in 1936 when in

Mrs. Wharton-Tigar’s aviaries, with me they did not do much better.

The partly built nest was placed in the fork of a weigelia and was

composed of a few laurel leaves and coarse grasses. I should have

expected the male of this Robin-like bird to feed the hen but I never

saw any such sign of devotion. Both birds have a marked dislike for

the open flight and spend most of their time in the shelter. They are

adept at catching insects in the air and are quite one of my star-turns

with meal-worms when I have visitors.



