1894. INSTINCT IN CHICKS AND DUCKLINGS. 209 



They ate their own and chicks' excrement freely and showed httle 

 sign of disgust. (In South Africa young ostriches are often suppHed 

 with the droppings of the old birds, for medicinal purposes. So I 

 was informed). 



Third Day. — Chicks. — The chicks pecked excitedly at flies 

 placed in an inverted tumbler, but failed to catch them on the 

 wing when the insects were allowed to escape. They still peck at 

 any small objects, especially bright ones, but show more dis- 

 crimination in swallowing. They run to one's hand when one 

 pecks on the ground with one's ringer or a pencil, simulating the 

 action of a hen. One can thus induce them to seize objects which 

 they would otherwise leave untouched. They will always run to 

 nestle in one's hands, poking their heads out between one's fingers 

 prettily. To some chicks (Group A) I threw cinnabar caterpillars. 

 They were seized but at once dropped, with some wiping of the 

 bill. The caterpillars were uninjured, and were seldom touched 

 again. They were removed and thrown in again towards the close 

 of the day. Some chicks tried them once, but they were soon left. 

 I could induce birds to pick them up by "pecking" with a pencil, but 

 they were at once dropped. 



Ducklings. — There was nothing special to note. 



Fourth Day. — Chicks. — I threw to the chicks of group A some 

 looper caterpillars and some green caterpillars from gooseberry bushes. 

 They were approached with some suspicion. Presently one chick 

 seized one and ran off, giving rise to a stern chase. Another stole it 

 from the first and ate it. In a few minutes all the caterpillars were 

 cleared off. Later in the day I gave them more of these edible 

 caterpillars, which were eaten freely. Then some cinnabars. One 

 chick ran, but checked itself, and without touching the cinnabar wiped 

 its bill (association). Another seized one and dropped it at once. A 

 third subsequently approached a cinnabar as it walked along, gave the 

 danger note and ran off. Then I threw in more edible caterpillars, 

 which again were eaten freely. The chicks thus discriminate by 

 sight between the nice and the nasty caterpillars. To a second 

 group (B) I threw cinnabars and small worms. Both were seized 

 at first with equal appetence, but discrimination was soon established. 

 The chicks began to scratch the ground (perhaps also the day before, 

 but not markedly). Several of them pecked at the burning end of a 

 cigarette two or three times, but some were stopped by a whiff of the 

 smoke, and then shook their heads and wiped their bills. Subsequently, 

 when the cigarette was out and cold, they came and looked at it ; and 

 one, after eyeing it, wiped its bill on the ground. A large Carabus 

 beetle, sprawling on its back, was an object of fear ; one chick at last 

 pecked at it, uttering the danger note, and threw it on one side. After 

 this none went near it. 



Ducklings.— Expedments with cinnabar caterpillars, loopers, and 

 worms gave similar results to those obtained with the chicks. 



p 



