AND OTHER BIRDS 131 



moned to feed. Really, I suppose, she was in 

 some way jerking up the masticated greens into 

 her bill, for down would go her head again, and 

 up would rise a joyful noise unto the Lord, the 

 low chirruping squeal of the happy chick. 



The mother does not actually give the food; 

 rather, I think, the nestlings are encouraged to 

 help themselves from her bill, she supplying it 

 in proper form and quality. At any rate weeks 

 later, though quite willing to feed themselves 

 from the human mouth, they would gaze at food 

 offered them otherwise, with quite an owlish air 

 of wonder. Only once I noticed the hen enter 

 the nest. She then remained in the hole for 

 about five minutes, and when out again in the 

 open, gave vent to the long, quick, strangulated 

 cry, "Riki-tik-tik-tik-tik," and was immediately 

 answered by another bird, hidden from me in 

 the forest greenery. Often, too, after feeding of 

 the brood was over, she would rest in the nest's 

 vicinity, and before flying off would call out 

 several times, "Twaak, twaak." 



About mid-day both parent birds, fluffed out 

 and sleepy, enjoyed their noon-tide siesta, in 

 close proximity to the family. Had the nestlings 

 been younger, no doubt this"hen would have been 

 more in the nest, but even then, it is probable 

 that a Parrakeet mother spends comparatively 

 little time on her young. The eggs are laid inter- 

 mittently, so that after the earliest born chicks 

 can give forth the heat necessary to hatch those 

 eggs that remain, the hen's whole time may be 

 devoted to feeding the brood. 



When about to leave the island I opened the 

 nest, in order to carry off a couple of pair, and 

 in so doing had an opportunity of noticing the 



