126 BIRDS OF THE WATER 



dangerous, and by which the particular 

 nest under the camera this season was 

 actually discovered. Although silence is 

 thus in the later days of incubation 

 neglected by the hungry youngsters, the 

 golden rule for Ground Lark nestlings, 

 their first and greatest of commandments, 

 is never transgressed. However hungry, 

 nay, voracious, the fledglings are, and at 

 first for several hours in the nest under 

 observation, the parent Pipits avoided the 

 screen and camera, the young never budge 

 from the nest, and though easily able to do 

 so, never edge on to the little run and 

 platform made by the repeated visits of 

 the old birds. I suppose inherited ex- 

 perience has shown the Pipit race how full 

 the world is of deceit and wickedness in the 

 form of Harriers, rats, and other vermin. 

 On Tutira during my time the numbers of 

 the Ground Lark have very much increased 

 and hundreds of them flock together in the 

 winter months, especially on the pumaceous 

 areas of the run. 



