132 THE OSPREY 



Mr. Abbott comments on the very remarkable fact that, in regard 

 to their coloration, the young in down are longitudinally striped with 

 white on a chocolate ground-colour, forming a pattern which affords 

 a most perfect mantle of invisibility; so much so that it was sometimes 

 difficult to determine, at first sight, whether the nest was tenanted or 

 not. Older birds, fledglings, when approached, feigned death. And 

 this ruse failing, they would assume an attitude of great ferocity, only 

 to subside almost at once into the old, death-like, attitude. A further 

 remarkable fact brought to light by Mr. Abbott is that the young, 

 unlike all other nidicolous birds, are hatched with open eyes. 

 Herein they differ from the young, not only of all other Accipitres, 

 but of all other nidicolous birds. And this fact is another indication 

 of the primitive character of this bird. For when lying spread out in 

 the nest they are very difficult to distinguish from their surroundings. 



The singular indifference of these birds, both young and old, in 

 regard to food, and their evident trust in protective coloration, seem 

 inexplicable, but these peculiarities may well be intimately associated 

 with behaviour in the past under very different conditions when 

 enemies of various kinds may have swarmed around them. 



On approaching their nests, both authors remark, the old birds 

 would display great nervousness, and would hover high in the air 

 uttering a note like " kilty, kilty, kilty," at the same time flapping their 

 wings and dangling their legs. Anger is expressed by a penetrating 

 shriek sounding like " kee-kee-kee-kee-ich-ich-ich," the last syllables being 

 uttered as if a bone were being coughed out of the throat. When 

 carrying a fish they would call, very appropriately, " fish-fish-fish." 



During incubation the male feeds his mate, and when the young 

 appear both parents share the task of feeding them. They remain 

 with their parents till the autumn, and are fed for some time after 

 leaving the nest. 



In regard to the eggs Dr. Bahr comments on one very curious 

 fact, to wit, that they have a very rancid, almost fulmar-like odour, a 

 fact which distinguishes them from eggs taken in Europe. 



