WOOD AND WASTE 113 



to and given to the other. After waiting, 

 as Falcons do, with open mouth for a few 

 moments, she turned and flew off. She was 

 hardly out of sight when the well-fed and 

 larger chick seized on the fresh prey too. 

 But this time the little fellow was not 

 going to lose his dinner, and a terrible 

 squealing and tugging ensued, during 

 which the little chap was dragged about 

 like the weaker side in a tug-of-war. 



Help was at hand, for almost at once 

 the mother bird, probably not altogether 

 unaccustomed to such bickerings, had 

 returned. Taking the morsel from the 

 offender, who at once gave way, she tore 

 it up for the little fellow, feeding him 

 from her bill till every morsel had been 

 eaten. 



The effect of a full meal on the youngsters 

 is very curious, acting upon them as does 

 a glass of champagne on a man, and 

 causing the little creatures to strut up and 

 down their platform, with bellies distended 

 and the very air of the typical Irishman 

 trailing his coat and spoiling for a fight. 



As with the Kingfishers, supplies brought 



16 



