Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 6 (1902).djvu/356

302 hunting for itself. Later, saw them all near each other; both young hunting. [The food was shrimps and insects; no fish given as yet.] One parent—the smaller—was sometimes alone now.

21st.—Saw only one old Dabchick, feeding one young bird, but repelling the other larger chick. The nest has now disappeared.

25th.—I found the bigger young bird some little way out of the water, near the servants' quarters. The men said they had put it back, but it persisted in coming out again. I took it indoors. It only showed the striped down on the head, and the quills were growing. The beak was buff and black, not pink as when new hatched. I had seen it hunting for itself for some time, but only on the surface, although both young were more ready to dive on alarm than the parents. Only one parent was in company with the other.

26th.—The young bird taken out yesterday died this morning, although I had fed it; it proved on skinning to be very thin, with no fat even on the skin.

27th.—The other young bird still with the one parent now remaining on the tank, and being fed; it is still more ready to dive in fear than the old one, and keeps very close to it, though nearly as large.

December 1st.—Young Dabchick still with parent, and on the most familiar terms, trying to climb on its back. [They often did this when first compelled to paddle their own canoes at an earlier age.]

8th.—Saw the old bird feed the young one with a fish, the first time I have observed this food given.

15th.—Saw the old bird driving the young one.

16th.—Saw the young bird first fed and then driven off.

17th.—Saw the young bird fed simply,

22nd.—Saw the young bird well chased by its parent, and trying to associate with Coots (now two). It crouched somewhat when frightened by its parent, as when wanting to be fed.

23rd.—The two Dabchicks near each other, but the young one evidently in fear of the old.

24th.—The young bird chased by the old one, which I saw, later on, feed it nevertheless.