86 BIRDS OF THE WATER 



in the garden. I believe the poor bird must 

 have swallowed a pin or tack or something; 

 of that kind, for they would both experiment 

 on all manner of strange foods. 



Three more chicks were brought in at a 

 later date by one of the station children. 

 They were at once given to a hen, and 

 have thrived splendidly. "Budget," the 

 survivor of the first brood, is perfectly 

 tame, and ever since his arrival has been 

 a joy and amusement to the whole house- 

 hold. A baby Pukeko is indeed the oddest 

 little creature, grovelling on his belly when 

 approached, shivering his pinky half-bald 

 head from side to side, his strange nude 

 winglets outspread and backwatering, his 

 eyes turned upwards like a Saint in a 

 picture, and his great red lined mouth 

 open like a fern owl's. His is the abject 

 submission olfered by heathen votaries to a 

 remorseless god.* 



When rather older, and in the act of 

 taking food eagerly from the hand, his 



[*0r, say, the attitude of the sheepfarmer requesting a 

 further loan from his Banker with fleece wool at 4d. in London, 

 and fat stock a drug on the market.] 



