Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 3 (1899).djvu/523

Rh 8.58.—Hen bird flew off, uttering a note which was not the "quaw-ee." An indefinite note, as of impatience. Chicks still; they do not move when left by the parent bird.

9.4.—Hen bird settles on stump close by. In a minute flies to chicks, and feeds them—both of them—more than once. Then a pause whilst the chicks are covered. It must be by some process of disgorging—regurgitation, that is. After pause chicks fed again, more gently, less violent motions; but feel sure they got something. Could make out nothing in the bird's bill. Chicks out again. May have got a little. They seize the parent's bill. Another chick fed. Feel sure he was fed, though gently. Feeding attended with little crooning noise on part of parent bird (not, of course, while she is actually regurgitating the food).

9.13.—Female bird flew off suddenly and in silence. Chicks quiet.

9.15.—Same bird back. Both chicks fed more than once. Regurgitation it must be.

9.18.—Chicks out again to be fed. Only gentle motions of beak on part of old bird.

9.19.—Old bird flies off. No cry. Chicks quiet.

9.24.—Bird (same one—I think, female) on elder-stump.

9.25.—Flew down and fed chicks as before, but not so much it seemed. As bird sat on stump (four paces off) I could see head and beak pretty plainly against the sky, and she seemed to have nothing in the beak. Chicks (I believe) fed again, making third time. Too dark to see well, but judge from movements of old bird's head and croodling noise. Believe chicks fed again. Much croodling. It does not seem likely that the bird would croodle if she merely refused to feed the chicks, and she croodles when she certainly does feed them. To go by the croodling the chicks were fed four or five times.

9.40.—Bird off, silently.

9.40.—Bird on stump. Almost immediately down to chicks, and fed them with much croodling. Croodling repeated twice, at intervals, up to 9.50, when bird flew off, and I left. The two birds were never together this night; I mean, of course, near nest. At least, I did not see them. I think it was the hen bird that was down the last time before I left, but could not see if it