The Marquess of Tavistock—Breeding Results of 1938 347



colour evolution and soon, as one may use the term “ soon ” when

speaking of the normally age-long process of natural change and

development, will have, at all ages, the brilliant plumage of the adult

male. Crimson-wings are beginning to hasten their slow attainment

of adult coloration, and female and immature male King’s are

beginning to progress towards the assumption of the colour and

markings of the adult male.


The hen of another pair of King’s laid about a dozen eggs, but was

a long time in starting to sit, and also broke some of them. The

remainder proved addled.


The hen Green-winged King, imported the previous year, took

some interest in her nest, but got no further, mainly, I think, because

the cock, although the only adult male in my collection, was not as

much in breeding condition as he might have been.


Owing to the loss of a breeding cock, and some mistakes in sexing

a species which is less easy to sex than I at one time thought, I started

the season with a considerable excess of hen Swifts—four and only

one cock, a young bird of the previous year. As Swifts are said to be

not averse to bigamy, I tried the experiment of two mates for the

youngster, with considerable success. Although, when his first choice

was going to nest, he made some show of regard for the laws of pro¬

priety by a mild bullying of the second hen, as soon as his first wife

was sitting, he quickly responded to the advances of the second, and

two and three young, respectively, were reared from the two nests.

I obtained the loan of a second cock, but only one of the two other

hens nested, and her eggs were clear.


The breeding pair of Malabars hatched and reared three good

young, but after that my luck deserted me, and I lost one of the

young ones and the old hen as well.


The second pair had infertile eggs.


Of two pairs of Lutinistic Plum-heads, one came into breeding

condition, but did not lay owing, I think, to my failure to provide

the hen soon enough with a nest which entirely suited her fancy.

The other hen ignored the proper portion of her hollow tree-trunk,

and scooped out for herself a rather exposed nest quite low down.

In this she reared three young, one strong, one very slightly rickety,



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