268 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



bird took part in the incubation of the eggs, but subsequent observa- 

 tion leads me to think that he does not do so as a rule, although he 

 may occasionally go on to the nest ; in fact, I have once or twice seen 

 both the old birds on the nest at the same time ! After the first day 

 or two the young chicks began to move about more, and also to peck 

 a little at the food supplied to them, although, as a rule, they seemed 

 to be fed by the parent birds, and this continued until quite recently. 

 Excessively shy at first, the little things would run off and hide 

 themselves immediately anyone appeared in sight, thus demonstrating 

 the natural and hereditary timidity of the species. The only sound 

 I have heard these chicks utter has been an occasional chirp, not unlike 

 that of a young sparrow. 



"The plumage of the chick in its first stage consists entirely of a 

 rich velvet-black down, with a few filamentary feathers (filophima) on 

 the head and wings, while the bill and frontal shield are white, with a 

 little red round the nostrils and base of the bill. The iris is of a dark 

 slate- colour. The legs and feet are of a rosy flesh-colour, and not 

 white, as erroneously stated by some authors, who perhaps may only 

 have had the opportunity of observing unborn chicks, taken from the 

 egg, the legs of these being in fact white in that stage. 



" The pollex, or first digit of the wing, in the young of this species 

 is highly developed, and bears a sharp and well-pronounced claw at 

 its extremity. After a month or so the plumage of the young birds, 

 although still in down, assumes a more dingy or smoky-black colour in 

 place of the rich velvet-black, and some whitish down appears on the 

 lower parts and under tail-coverts ; the bill becomes black instead of 

 white, and the legs and feet exchange their rosy flesh-colour for a 

 leaden-grey brown ; the iris at this period is olive-browTi. Up to the 

 time of my writing, the plumage of these young birds, which are now 

 about two months old, shows no blue colour, and this will probably 

 not appear until the contour-feathers are assumed, when the bill and 

 frontal shield, as well as the legs and feet, will no doubt also 

 become red." 



"P.S. — Since this was written, now more than two months ago, 

 some changes have taken place in the plumage and general character 

 of the young Purple Gallinules born in January. 



" The first blue contour- feathers appeared soon after the completion 

 of the second month, and about the end of the third month the colour 

 of the soft parts began to turn red. 



