38 Beebe, The Early Life of Loon Chicks. [^ a u n k 



On the floor he progresses rapidly by the usual frog-like plunges. 

 Between feeds and sleeps, he spends much of the day in attempting 

 to escape over the six-inch wall of his nest box. By noon, he finds 

 a way to achieve this, crooking his head and neck over a corner and 

 kicking his way over. Wire netting is put over the top and he shows 

 no further desire to get out. He eats ten killifish during the day. 



Loon No. 2 seems unwell. His eyes are swollen and partly 

 closed and it is not until noon that I discover the cause to be his 

 brother, who makes most vicious lunges at him, when tired of try- 

 ing to escape. I bathe the head of the chick with boracic acid 

 and separate the two birds for the night. 



August 10. — Both chicks are bright this morning. Number 1 

 eats seven fish before noon, picking up two himself and swallowing 

 them head-first. Number 2 eats four and picks up one, shifting 

 it as skilfully as his brother. Both preen after bathing and use 

 their oil-glands. Their cries, when hungry, are much louder than 

 yesterday. 



There is no doubt about the intermittent feud existing between 

 them. They sleep side by side most of the morning, but at noon 

 when I wake them, they fly at each other like game cocks, rolling 

 over and over in a frenzy of pecking. Both take equal parts in the 

 attack. If not separated they would soon destroy each other's 

 eyes. I do not trust them together again except when under 

 observation. 



Most interesting is their response to the loud, rolling cry of a 

 Giant Kingfisher, Dacelo gigas (Bodd.), in the Bird House. Other 

 loud cries and calls are audible from time to time, especially the 

 notes of a Seriema and a Crested Screamer, but only the notes of 

 the kingfisher affect the young loons. During all the time that 

 this remarkable sound is in progress, the chicks stand or attempt 

 to rear themselves upright, straining their necks and piping their 

 loudest. By concealing myself and imitating the cry of a loon as 

 closely as possible, I am able always to arouse the young birds and 

 set them piping; but the laughter of the kingfisher never fails to 

 throw them into the greatest fits of excitement. I cannot account 

 for it unless it is. that some latent instinct in the young loons is 

 aroused by, the similarity of the rolling call of the kingfisher to the 

 wild laughter of the adult loons. There is certainly a close re- 



