FIRST APPEARANCES OF BIRDS, INSECTS, ETC. 185 



in the nest ; two young flew off at intervals, a 

 third climbed into the tree, and No. 5 (Napoleon 

 having left entirely) remained in the nest. 



E.H.C. and W.P.C. 



3 p.m. We started work. 

 4.30 p.m. A young one climbed up the tre > 

 and flew off. 



4.45 p.m. Male came to the nest with pre^ 

 in his claws. Immediately afterwards one of 

 the young males came back to share food, his 

 idea of sharing it being to take it from the 

 backward young one to the far side of the nest 

 and devour it himself. 

 July 9 E.H.C. 



12.30. The most backward young one was the 

 only one left in the nest, but two others came 

 back into the tree. 



1 p.m. The female came in and fed three 

 young in the nest, tearing up the food, a rat 

 (Mus decumanus), as before. 

 1 .30 . Male dashed in with a small bird partiaJly 

 plucked, and swept out, without alighting. 

 2.20. The male flashed into the nest and 

 dropped either Anthus pratensis or Anthus 

 trivialis (bird of the year). The most back- 

 ward young one made a meal off this. Soon after- 

 wards I saw one of the more advanced branchers 

 flopping about in an adjacent tree ; and one 

 young male joined the backward youngster 

 in the nest. They all still called " kerwee." 

 The old male was usually silent, but sometimes 

 called a high-pitched "tcheer tcheer tcheer," 

 and the female called a very full note " tcheel." 

 One of the more advanced young, still a brancher , 

 when mounting in the tree, moved his beak and 

 neck very like a parrot ; but, though I watched 



