44 M. Amsler—Breeding Results at Delmonden Manor


Red-headed Parrot Finches reared two broods, four young in

each case.


Blue-headed Parrot Finches (Goodfellow’s sub-species) did

nothing this year though my old pair attempted to breed and actually

built and laid in their wunter quarters, eggs clear. The young of

1936, a cock and two hens, only began to build some three weeks ago,

whereupon I caught up and removed the male.


Ruficaudas rather annoyed me. One youngster was reared in

May—whereupon the hen died, and all the “ hens 5 5 I have since bought

have been cocks, including one from a well-known member !


Another “ pair ” made up of a 1936 cock bred here and a bought

“ hen ” are also two cocks.


My old Orange-headed Ground Thrushes laid and reared

twice, though only one youngster was reared on each occasion, first

a hen and then a cock.


They again chose their food pan as their nesting site. My failure

to rear two full broods was due indirectly to the drought and the

difficulty of finding small worms, which are a perfect and sufficient

diet for the purpose. Iwas therefore obliged to use large “ lob-worms ”

chopped up and I am quite certain that these are tough and indigestible.


Two pairs of Shamas were very disappointing: my best pair carried

a few straws into a box but no egg was produced, the other pair laid

early in May. As these birds are difficult to breed but are at the same

time prolific egg-layers, I put the first clutch of them under a wild

Robin. I did not visit the nest until I judged the young would be about

a fortnight old, only to find three well-feathered chicks outside the

nest with their heads bitten off. A keeper tells me this was the work

of a Jay. For some reason no more eggs were laid.


Two Jackson’s Coral-billed Thrushes both carried a few straws

but did not build properly. I suspect both of being hens.


My Western Blue Robins never attempted to nest, although the

cock was constantly entering one of the nest-boxes and calling to his

mate.


Of the Eastern variety I have two pairs and here comes my final

jeremiad.


Twenty-five young were hatched and only two reared and these

both cocks.



