File:Twenty-five photographs (printed in platinotype) (1895) (14564753727).jpg

Identifier: Twentyfivephoto00Webs (find matches)
Title: Twenty-five photographs (printed in platinotype)
Year: 1895 (1890s)
Authors: Webster, G. Watmough Newstead, Robert, 1859-1947 Grosvenor Museum (Chester, Cheshire)
Subjects: Pictorial works Birds
Publisher: Chester: (Grosvenor Museum)
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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Text Appearing Before Image:
WE are deeply indebted to His Grace the Duke oe Westminster, K.G.,for this exceedingly interesting group of birds. They were taken in1888 from the Heronry at Eaton Hall, which is the largest in Cheshire orNorth Wales, and fortunately is carefully preserved. The nest, composed of large sticks and lined with smaller ones and stemsof various plants, is in the topmost branch of a willow tree, and was between40 and 50 feet from the ground. It contains its rightful occupants, e.g., the fouryoung ones that were hatched in it. They are of different sizes, however, whichis remarkable; but as they were taken at the same time they must have beenhatched at different periods. (See also Proceedings of the Chester Society of NaturalScience Part IV., p. 22j~\. Their attitudes are very grotesque, but they arefaithfully preserved; all being carefully modelled from life. The upper specimen is the female; it has an unusually long crest, andbears a greater similarity to the male than is usually the case.
Text Appearing After Image:
The Sheld or Burrow-Duck (Tadorna cornuta) S. G. Gmeun. MALE, FEMALE, WEST, AND EGGS. (JT^HE female of this handsome species is represented going to her nest in arabbit-burrow. The nest shown in section at the end of the sand-bank isthree feet from the entrance to the burrow, and is entirely composed of downand feathers from the breast of the female. It contains seven cream-colouredeggs, which cannot, unfortunately, be shown in the picture. The burrow is but alittle over 6 inches in diameter; the nest cavity being 16 inches in its widest part.The original habitat has been carefully reproduced in every detail, e.g., length ofburrow, nest cavity, sand-bank, and the beautiful Marram Grass (Elymus arenarius)peculiar to our sand-hills and coasts. Collected on the Warren at Talacre by kind permission, and presented bySir Pyers Mostyn. Many pairs of these birds breed annually in the above locality; alwaysselecting a rabbit-burrow to nest in.

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