172 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [16:4— April, 1920 



they were naturally found in the nest. The first was obtained 

 when they were about two days old . . . and the young were 

 not only found wrapped together in the nest, but the moment they 

 were put on the ground, one at a time, tho their eyes were still 

 sealed, they immediately covered one another with their wings and 

 wide bills, making such a tight ball that when anyone shifted a leg, 

 the whole mass would move like a single bird. This is a most 

 sensible method of keeping warm, since the mother bird's legs are 

 so short she could not stand over them, but, as they are protected 

 from the wind and weather, they have no need of her. Their 

 appearance is comical in the extreme, and all out of proportion. 

 This clinging to one another is apparently kept up for at least ten 

 days, for a week later, when nine days old they were found in 

 exactly a similar position. 



"When the young were first observed, they were absolutely^ 

 naked, without the suggestion of a feather, and, unlike most young 

 birds, showed no plximage of any kind until the regular final 

 feathering, which was the same as that of the adult, began to 

 appear. The growth of the birds was remarkably slow, and even 

 when nine days old the feathers were just beginning to push thru 

 their tiny sheaths, but so distinctly showed their markings that I 

 was able to distinguish the sexes by the coloring of the bands on the 

 chest. They did not open their mouths in the usual way for food, 

 but tried to pick up small objects from the ground, and one got 

 another by his foot, as the pictures show. I took two other photo- 

 graphs the same day, showing several birds searching on the ground 

 with their bills, as if they were already used to this manner of 

 feeding. 



"When the birds were sixteen days old, they had begun to look 

 like formidable kingfishers, with more shapely bills and crests, but 

 as yet they evidently knew no use for their wings. They showed 

 little temper, tho they appeared to be somewhat surprised at being 

 disturbed. 



" My next visit to the hole in the bank was when the birds were 

 23 days old, and, to ascertain whether they were still at home, I 

 poked into the entrance of the hole a long, thin twig, which was 

 quickly accepted by quite a strong bite. Taking the precaution to 

 stop the hole with a good-sized stone, I proceeded to my digging 

 for the last time on the top of the bank. This time I found the 

 chamber had been moved, and I had some difficulty in locating it 



