196 T. C. STEPHENS 



In the second mode of nestling feeding which we arbitrarily 

 recognize, the transfer of food is accomplished by the inter- 

 crossing of bills of the young and the adult, without the insertion 

 of either. We find this method represented in at least three 

 orders, viz., the Tubinares, the Herodiones, and the Odonto- 

 glossae. 



In the case of the Laysan Albatross the bill of the young 

 is placed crosswise between the mandibles of the adult. Partially 

 digested food is then regurgitated and directed by the tongue 

 of the adult into the open mouth of the young 2 . 



Among the Herodiones a somewhat similar method is found. 

 Chapman (2, p. 121) has described the feeding process in Ward's 

 Heron, the Florida Great Blue Heron, in the following words: 

 "As the parent stepped into the nest, its bill was seized by one 

 of the young. The young bird did not thrust its bill down the 

 parental throat, nor was the parent's bill introduced into that 

 of the young. The hold of the young bird was such as one 

 would take with a pair of shears, if one were to attempt to cut 

 off the adult's bill at the base. In this manner the old bird's 

 head was drawn into the nest where more or less digested fish 

 was disgorged, of which all the young at once partook." 



The same author says the process of feeding the young of 



the American Egret is identical with that just described. 



Essentially the same thing is described by Gabrielson for the 



Bittern and the Least Bittern (8). But in these instances the 



food was not dropped upon the nest; it was, instead, passed 



directly into the young bird's mouth — perhaps a more refined 



and advanced process. His account for the Bittern is as follows: 



"As soon as she reached the nest the young commenced jumping 



at her beak, continuing this until one succeeded in seizing it 



in his beak at right angles to the base. A series of indescribable 



contortions followed, the head of the female being drawn jerkily 



in all directions and the muscles of the neck working convulsively. 



Finally the head and neck were placed flat on the nest for several 



seconds and then slowly raised again. As it [the head] came 



up the food came slowly up the throat into the mouth. As 



the food passed along the beak, the open beak of the young 



bird follow ed its course along until it slid into its mouth and 



2 1 am indebted to Professor Homer R. Dill, of the University of Iowa, for the 

 information regarding the use of the tongue by the adult albatross in feeding the 

 young. 



