DOMESTIC LIFE 



should say that some hundreds of nests were spoilt 

 in this way. 



As I photographed the above incident at in- 

 tervals, different stages are seen on Figs. 67 to 69. 



I have mentioned that eggs got lost owing to 

 cocks fighting among the nests. When hens are 

 incubating the eggs they never leave the nest 

 under any circumstances until relieved by their 

 mates, being most reliable and faithful to their 

 charge. They squabble continually with their 

 nearest neighbours, whom they seem to hate, but 

 only retaliate on those within reach, using their 

 bills only to peck at each other's heads without 

 shifting their position. 



The cocks, however, are less dependable. Start- 

 ing a quarrel in the same way as the hens do, their 

 militant instincts soon became aroused, on which 

 they are apt to jump up and start a furious fight 

 with flippers, staggering to and fro over their 

 nests, and very often spilling the eggs, which are 

 lost in consequence. On certain occasions I was 

 able to interfere between the combatants, and re- 

 place the eggs, on which they would return to 

 their domestic duties and seem to forget the 

 incident. A good many eggs must have been 

 lost in this way during the season. 



107 



