330 PET BIKDS OFBKNC.AL 



feathered and tlie next day they left their nest. 

 I confined them in a large cage with the mother- 

 bird. On June 12th, the youngsters began to 

 feed themselves, and I observed that thenceforth 

 their mother occasionally fed them on egg-food 

 and satoo. Before this date no artificial food was 

 given. The hen used to show great care and 

 discrimination in feeding the young. For the 

 first two or three days after birth, the mother 

 fed them only wath ants' eggs. Then for a few 

 days beetles, ants' grubs and a few grasshoppers 

 were given. As the chicks grew older, ants' 

 eggs were discarded and grasshoppers and 

 beetles only composed their diet. Not until 

 a fortnight after their birth did the mother give 

 them prepared food. 



From the 14th June, the youngsters 

 began to emit fchat fchat sounds. At this 

 time the cock began to court the hen again 

 and the latter responded from within the 

 cage. So, I let her loose with the children. 

 On the 15th she began nest-building. The 

 youngsters fed themselves but were still impor- 

 tunate. So. the cock used to feed them at 

 times. The youngsters used to sit on a high 

 perch crying for food. The cock used to fly 

 up with a grasshopper and as there was no 



