OCR Text |
Show 1866.] MR. SCLATER ON ADDITIONS TO THE MENAGERIE. 79 black, or nearly so, and naked ; the down-feathers grew slowly the tail-feathers, which are white in the adult birds, are black in the young one, and still continue so. This led to the young bird being described a few years ago as a second species*. GUIRA CUCKOO (Guira piririgua). One of these birds during the early part of the summer dropped or laid an egg on the ground in the aviary ; but unfortunately the specimen was broken by the fall, or by the birds themselves or their companions. Sufficient pieces, however, were saved to enable a good drawing to be made; and it is interesting to find this bird lays an egg that agrees completely with the egg of the Anis (Crotophaga), to which it is doubtless closely allied. SCARLET IBIS (Ibis rubra). A female of this bird has been in the aviary with other birds since March 1864 ; and, notwithstanding that there were three of her own species in the same aviary, she paired with a white Ibis in June last. These two birds built a nest upon the ground, composed principally of twigs, pieces of birch-broom, sticks, & c , upon which was laid an egg of a pale green, thickly spotted and blotched with a dirty-brown colour. The egg was constantly attended by both birds, and the nest was raised considerably under the egg by the constant addition of materials, the egg being rolled from side to side as the sticks, & c , were placed under it. This raising the nest continued for about ten days, after which time the birds began to incubate, taking turns on the egg. After sitting four weeks, the egg was found to be addled, and was removed in order to save the specimen, which is now on the table. February 13, 1866. John Gould, Esq., F.R.S., V.P., in the Chair. Mr. Sclater called the attention of the Meeting to three Monkeys recently received from the Island of St. Kitts, West Indies. Mr. Edward Greey, Fellow of the Society, having reported the existence of Monkeys in a wild state in considerable numbers upon this island, had been urged by Mr. Sclater to attempt to obtain some specimens, in order that it might be ascertained to what species they were referable, as it had been always believed that there were no native Quadrumana in the Lesser Antilles. Through the assistance of Mr. John Carden, of St. Kitts, Mr. Greey had succeeded in obtaining a specimen of this Monkey ; and two others from the same island had * Columba gouldia, Gray, Ind. Zool. pi. 37 ; Calcenas gouldice, auct. |