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Show 304 MR. F. E. BLAAUW ON T H E [Mar. 20, 67. nigricollis, and G. monachus are deficient. 1 specially admired a fine pair of Anthropoides leucaucheu. On the Stork-and-Heron side of the building I noticed amongst the former a splendid specimen of Ciconia bogciana, a Tantalus loculator; and amongst the latter a fine specimen of Ardea sumatrana, also A. goliath, A. cocoi, &c. In the same house were specimens of Chunga burmeisteri and of Cariama cristata. In the neighbourhood of the Crane-house a new building for small birds, Parrots, &c, has been erected. For the present only one half of this building, which is eventually to consist of two houses with a large " fiying aviary " between them, has been completed. In the above-mentioned aviary the background is formed by a nicely laid-out rockery, whilst large trees and a piece of water help to make it a favourite resort for the birds. It contains a large number of Waders of different species, some Mergansers, and quite a colony of Herons and Night-herons, which breed in the large trees. Of special interest were three hand-reared Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus), which flew about the aviary without being noticed in the least by the numerous small Waders and Gulls and other birds. Dr. Heck told m e that this had been the case from the beginning, the birds probably knowing that the fish-eating Ospreys have nothing in common with the dangerous Birds of Prey. It was rather a curious sight to see one of these Ospreys swim in the little pond between the Sinews in a very duck-hke fashion. Amongst the Waders w as a pretty group of Himantopus nigricollis. In the house itself was a large collection of birds, mostly exhibited in small cages in long rows, one over the other. Some of the more delicate birds were kept in glass cages with tops of wire and with a special heating-apparatus under the cage, a system which seemed to answer extremely well. On the whole I think the cages were in most cases too small, but thanks to the cleanliness and to the great care bestowed on the birds, they appeared generally to be in extremely good health and plumage. Amongst the Parrots exhibited I saw examples of seven species of Palceomis, including a splendid pair of the large P. derbianus from Southern China, which I have never seen elsewhere ; examples of fourteen species of Cockatoos (amongst them a splendid 31icro-glossus aterrimus) ; Nestor notabilis and N. meridionalis; ten species of Macaws, with Ara hgaciuthiua, A. leari, A. glauca, A. spixi, and the rare A. ambigua in the number ; twelve species of Platgcercus and its allies, including P. multicolor, P. hasmatonotus, P. browni, and Polgtelis alexandrte; also Pgrrhulopsis personatus. Besides I found such rare birds as Hentcognathus leptorhynchus, Poeocephalus versttri, Pionopsittacus pileatus, Pionias chulcopterus, Chrysotis hecki, C. xanthopteryx (being the Paraguayan form of C. cestiva, with yellow wing-bend), and Nymphicus uvceensis. The whole collection of Parrots includes examples of 136 species. The Picarice present many interesting species, including four Toucans, two Aracaris, and six Hornbills, also Touracous (Turacus |
