218 A. C, Millar 



When I visited the nests on the third week, I found the par- 

 tition in each case completed and the hen imprisoned, while the 

 male bird was occupied in procuring food for her. He brought, 

 at intervals of about an hour, a supply of berries which he had 

 swallowed, and these he brought up one by one with a belching 

 action and gave to the hen. The manner of the male bird in doing 

 this is most ludicrous as it is so human. In one instance, I 

 counted as many as twenty berries brought up in this way. 



Allowing a week to pass from the date of the hen's confine- 

 ment, and considering it ample time for her to have laid her full 

 clutch, I was greatly astonished on climbing to one of the nests 

 and releasing the bird that she had not laid a single egg! I 

 therefore allowed another five days to elapse before visiting the 

 other nest; but on examining it, I found that she also had failed 

 in her duty, after being imprisoned for twelve days! However, 

 in this latter case I had wisely not released the bird, and by means 

 of small blocks of wood nailed into place and smeared with 

 softened plaster, I hastily restored the partition to its natural 

 appearance, with the result that the male bird continued feeding 

 his mate. 



Twelve days later, I returned to examine the latter nest, and 

 on breaking away the partition was rewarded with two good eggs. 

 I may mention, though it is sad to relate, that the hen of the 

 first nest had entirely deserted it. My good fortune, however, did 

 not cease, for whilst sitting having my lunch, I discovered that 

 I chanced to be under a tree containing a nest with a hen sitting 

 on two eggs. This gave me a second clutch. 



The extraordinary caution and timidity of the male bird when 

 approaching the nest, while building or feeding his mate is most 

 marked. For instance, from a distance I had been watching a 

 male bird who had just left the nest after delivering his store of 

 food, and I approached to a position nearer the nest for the pur- 

 pose of minutely watching his actions when he returned v^th his 

 next supply. But the hen bird must have seen me, for during 

 the next two hours he did not settle on the tree to deliver his food, 

 owing to warnings from his imprisoned mate, which consisted of 



