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Show 390 ON THE BREEDING OF THE BLACK-NECKED SWAN. [June 3, The following extract was read from a letter addressed to the Secretary by Mr. Albert A. C. le Souef, C.M.Z.S., dated Melbourne, April 8th, 1884:- " A strange thing occurred in m y garden a few months ago which may interest you. A Black-necked Swan (C. nigricollis) commenced sitting on three eggs last August. The keeper tells m e that a few days before her time of hatching he found one of the eggs had rolled out of the nest and had been broken, the egg containing a dead cygnet, leaving two eggs under the parent bird. These were hatched on the 13th of September ; but, to m y astonishment and the Cygnets of C'ygnus nigricollis. keeper's, produced three cygnets. At first the cygnets were nearly of a size; but in a very short time one commenced to grow much faster than the other two. The birds are now nearly seven months old ; and I send you a sketch of them as they now are. The bird out of one of the eggs is as large as the parents ; but the two out of the other egg are much smaller. The largest of the two has a little colour on the neck; but the second is a queer little fellow, and, although apparently quite healthy, is still covered with down, and looks as if it were only two months old. I was not aware that double-volked eggs produced in this manner, and I shall be glad to know if a similar occurrence has ever come under your notice." The following papers were read :- |