128 BIRD BIOGRAPHIES 



were sitting on a branch as seen in my 

 photograph, and the parent had just given 

 food to the baby next to her immediately 

 before the plate was exposed. She was 

 absent for about ten minutes, and on her 

 return with food she no doubt remembered 

 that baby number one had been fed, for 

 as soon as she settled on the branch the 

 first baby made great efforts to take the 

 insects from her, but the mother just 

 ignored it, and lifting her head over the 

 head of the bird next to her, popped the 

 food into the beak of baby number two ! 

 It was interesting to notice how she fed 

 her young in turns. 



All through the months of May and 

 June the birds kept to their corner of 

 the lake, and each time I went near their 

 home they did their utmost to drive me 

 away with loud, angry cries. I could see 

 them with their crests raised as they 

 swung to and fro on the swaying reeds, 

 and even when I had left, it seemed to 



