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The Curator—Waterfowl at Walcot



this year, one pair has bred at Walcot. In 1936 the nest was placed

under the rotting roots of an old oak. In that year six eggs were laid:

all were fertile and five young were reared. This year the nest was placed

about 2 feet down a rabbit hole on an island. There were seven eggs 1

in the clutch but they were all infertile.


The Chinese Goose is common enough in a domesticated form but

a true wild specimen of this species is a very different bird to look at.

We have one pair here, which nested for the first time this year. The

nest was built in a reed bed by the side of the lake. Three eggs were

laid and all hatched. The goslings are easily reared.


Ross’s Snow Geese have bred with us for several years. Formerly

we have had one clutch per bird only, this year two Geese produced two

clutches each. Like most goslings, Ross’s are easy to rear.


In February, 1936, we imported from Holland seven Yellow-billed

Bean Geese. They were all wild-caught specimens and had only been

in captivity about a fortnight when we received them. In April that

year, much to our surprise, we found one sitting. On examining the

nest we found it to be one forsaken by a Canadian Goose. The Bean

Goose had taken charge of this nest, “ downed ” it, and commenced

to sit. Possibly she had laid elsewhere and her eggs had been taken

by vermin.


This year three of these Bean Geese nested. One nest contained ten

eggs—these must have been the property of two Geese—the other

contained four. Unfortunately none of these eggs hatched.


As a rule wild-caught Geese rarely breed until they have been in

captivity ten years or more. These instances are, therefore, worth

recording.


Whooper Swans, on account of their size and doubtful tempers,

are not commonly kept. We have one pair, which were caught wild

six or seven years ago. They nested in April of this year for the first

time. Unfortunately the female got out of her enclosure during the

incubation period, and as there was some danger of her six eggs becoming

chilled before she could be put back these were taken away and placed

under hens. Five hatched. Hens are not satisfactory foster-mothers

for large cygnets and in consequence all except one contracted pneu¬

monia and died. The bird which was reared is a fine specimen.



