166 BIRDS OF THE WATER 



ing" with anger, she will withdraw to the 

 very edge of the flimsy platform, nor during 

 this retreat is the egg, w^hich, I believe, is 

 somehow carried between her thighs, ever 

 exposed to view. 



When desirous of securing a picture of 

 the egg alone I have tried again and again 

 to gently shove her off, but in the end have 

 failed and had to leave her, exceedingly 

 angry and broody, her feathers fluffed out, 

 her tail spread to the very fullest extent, 

 but victorious, and still in possession of 

 her treasure. 



The egg, nevertheless, need not be so 

 carefully cherished, at all events as far as 

 warmth is concerned, for on the 5th of 

 December I know that ''Pidgy" — to my 

 great concern — was uncovered for over four 

 hours, yet on the 6th he was hatched a fine 

 strong chick. 



The hen pigeon, when not disturbed, is 

 an extraordinarily quiet and serene sitter, 

 apparently for half an hour at a time not 

 altering her position in the slightest degree. 



One of my particular ambitions of the 

 past season was to see this species feed its 



