MINIVETS 23 



happen to be carrying food in the beak for the young 

 birds, they at once drop it, set up their cry of distress 

 and try to entice the stranger away by flying a httle 

 distance off. If this ruse^ be not successful, the hen 

 minivet will act as if her wing were broken and flap 

 along away from the nest. 



It is an interesting fact that although minivets build 

 open nests and the sexes differ so considerably in 

 appearance, both the cock and the hen take part in 

 incubation. 



Some years ago, when writing of the small minivet, 

 I quoted Mr. William Jesse as describing a very curious 

 phenomenon in connection with the nesting of this 

 species, namely that in his experience almost invariably 

 two hens and one cock take part in nest building and 

 incubation. " What is the exact duty of this second 

 wife," writes Jesse, " I cannot make out. Possibly she 

 may be a drudge. That she exists I have satisfied 

 myself time after time, and so convinced are the 

 Martiniere boys of the fact that they — no mean 

 observers by the way — rarely trouble to look for a nest 

 if only one female is present. Unfortunately, I have 

 never yet found out what happens when there are 

 young. Whether both females take part in incubation 

 and in rearing the young I do not know. I do not think 

 that both lay eggs, as I have never found more than 

 three." From the time when I first read the above 

 passage I have paid particular attention to minivets, 



^ I use the word " ruse" for want of a better term. I do not 

 believe that the bird intends to deceive the intruder. I am disposed 

 to think that this feigning- of injury is a purely instinctive act. The 

 phenomenon is discussed on p. 207 infra. 



