420 THE AYOCET 



brooded by the parent. At night, and at intervals during the day, 

 one of the old birds, presumably the hen, squatted on its tarsi and 

 uttered a whistling call. The nestling came running at the call 

 and took up the position beneath her, sometimes standing on the 

 tarsus of the old bird, and thrusting its head and body beneath 

 the breast feathers and wing of one side, leaving nothing visible 

 but its legs, which, as Mr. Pocock remarks, resembled "a pair of 

 dwarfed supernumerary limbs depending from the breast of the 

 mother." 



For the first day or two the chicks are somewhat weak on their 

 feet, but soon gain full control of their limbs, and not only run about 

 freely under the care of their parents, but also take to the water 

 readily and swim well. Both parents remain in close attendance on 

 their young, and show the greatest anxiety when closely approached, 

 trying to distract the attention of the intruder by moving about with 

 trailing wings as though injured, and anxious cries. 



When they are fully fledged the young leave their parents, and by 

 the end of August or the beginning of September begin to make their 

 way to their winter quarters in small parties or medium-sized flocks, 

 and soon the Dutch polders and the dreary marshes of the Jylland 

 fjords, which they have enlivened by their presence during the 

 summer months, are deserted for the winter. 



