AFRICAN TURTLE. 169 



fed, as is well known, from the macerated contents of 

 the crop of the parent birds, mixed with a curdy 

 secretion of the crop itself. I am often much amused 

 in watching the way in which this is effected in the 

 instance of the collared or African turtle, of which I 

 have several individuals in confinement. The old 

 bird opening its beak to the full extent, the young 

 plunges its own almost, as it were, down the throat 

 of its parent, whose efforts to regurgitate the required 

 food into the mouth of its offspring are distinctly 

 visible. But what particularly takes my attention is 

 the persevering and often fruitless endeavour made 

 by the young to induce the parent to open its mouth 

 for this purpose. This is especially the case when 

 the young are now nearly fully fledged, and partially 

 able to feed themselves ; and when, perhaps, the 

 usual secretions of the parent's crop are beginning to 

 fail. Under such circumstances, they will often 

 chase the old birds round the cage, and again and 

 again present themselves before their face, as often 

 as they turn away from their solicitations : at the 

 same time they keep up a continual flapping with 

 their wings, utter a plaintive whining note, and 

 peck at the sides of their parents' bill, trying every 

 stratagem to make them yield to their entreaties. 

 The old birds, however, as if conscious that there 

 was no supply, or that it was no longer needed, obsti- 

 nately refuse to pay any regard to the demands made 

 upon them ; or they are not prevailed upon till after 

 a long time, and till wearied, as it were, with the 

 perpetual teazings of their offspring. The difficulty 

 experienced by this last in effecting its object is 



