THE WORLD'S BIRDS. 



41 



Young. — Active and downy, the down usually with 

 longitudinal brown and creamy stripes. They 

 run and feed themselves from the first, but are 

 looked after by the hen or both parents. They 

 fledge on the wings first, and can fly in a few days, 

 but they change their chicken quills the first 

 autumn. 



Nest. — Merely a " scratching " on the ground, lined 

 with a little vegetable rubbish. 



Eggs. — Several ; usually plain and pale (but seldom 

 white), but often also more or less spotted. 



Incubation. — From three weeks to a month, according 

 to the size of the species ; the female is always left 

 to sit by herself. 



Courtship. — Elaborate ; the display is usually either 

 frontal, as in the Peacock and Turkey, or lateral, 

 as in the Pheasant, which displays sideways. It 

 varies a great deal in different groups, and the 

 erection or dilatation of naked combs, wattles, 

 eyebrows, etc., is notable. Some Grouse have 

 dilatable neck-sacs. 



Food. — Seeds, herbage, fruit, insects ; any small edible 

 articles, in fact, though vegetables form the chief 

 source of subsistence. The young are much more 

 insectivorous than the adults. 



Gait. — An active walk or a quick run. Many perch 

 occasionally, especially at night. Some species 

 can swim, the Turkey and Pheasant, for instance. 



Flight. — Heavy and direct, and seldom protracted 

 far ; it is performed either by continuous flapping, 

 or by alternate flapping and sailing. The neck 

 and legs are extended in flight. 



Note. — Usually harsh, a scream, cackle, or some such 

 sound ; some, however, whistle. The males usually 

 have a very characteristic call or " crow." Many 

 species make a noise with their wings when 

 courting. 



