SOME BIRD PROBLEMS 99 



The Fulmar Petrel (Fvlmams glacialis), according to my 

 friend, Mr Oliver G. Pike, has two interesting traits, which I 

 venture to bring to your notice. When the Fulmar has an egg 

 in the nest, Pike states, she is easy to approach, but when the 

 single young bird is hatched, the mother bird flies off long before 

 one is near her. One would have thought the parent bird would 

 rather stay to defend its young than forsake it when danger 

 threatened. When the Fulmar does stay at home, it protects 

 itself by opening its beak and shooting at the intruder a quantity 

 of evil-smelling green oil. The first charge, Pike says, carries 

 about a yard, but the second and third charges fall short of this. 

 Certain insects, both when in the larval and adult states, are, 

 we know, thus provided against enemies, but is it not rare in 

 the bird world, and why has the Fulmar developed this uncommon 

 habit among feathered bipeds ? 



A point which has always interested me, associated with 

 Grebes, Rails, Crakes, Moorhens, and Coots, is in regard to the 

 structure of the foot, as compared with that of other aquatic 

 birds, such as Ducks and Geese. In the latter, of course, the 

 toes are all united, or completely webbed, but in the case of the 

 Grebes and Coots the toes are curiously lobed, whilst in the 

 Rails, Crakes, and Moorhens all the toes are quite free. Yet 

 all these different species are aquatic, and equally good swimmers. 

 Why should there be this diversity in birds of similar habits ? 

 The Moorhen (Gallinula cMoropus), it is true, spends much of 

 its time on land, and is a good walker and runner. It often 

 places its nest several feet high in trees near water. Is it reason- 

 able to suppose that in the course of time this species will cease 

 to be aquatic, and lead a terrestrial life entirely ? 



The Ring Dove, or Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus), takes 

 a draught of water when drinking, and seems to be an exception 

 to most other British birds in this connection. Why is this ? 

 It also feeds its young in a different manner by regurgitating 

 soft portions of food from the crop. Why and how have the 

 ColumbidcB developed these interesting habits ? 



The Red-legged Partridge (Caccabis rufa) has a curious habit 

 of leaving its own nest and eggs before incubation commences, 

 and depositing some eggs in the nest of a Pheasant (Phasianus 

 colchicus) or English Partridge (Perdix perdix). After an absence 

 of a few days, it returns to its own nest and eggs, and duly performs 

 its own domestic duties. What is the explanation to be offered 

 in regard to this ? 



