20 



WILD NATURE'S WAYS. 



YOUNG WHEATEARS. 



supply of food in his bill, but was too shy to 

 venture nearer home with it than the usual post 

 of outlook. There he stood, and deliberately 

 waited until his mate arrived with her catch of 

 insects, when I figured him, to his eternal shame, 

 in the cowardly act of handing over his collection 

 for her to take indoors. 



On the following day I did not use the sheep, 

 but sat in the tent and made a number of observa- 

 tions on the feeding habits of wheatears. 



The nest contained a family of five well- 

 grown chicks gifted with most insatiable appetite. 

 At midday their parents were bringing them in 

 food to the tune of thirty-six times an hour, and 

 the pace gradually increased during the afternoon 

 until four o'clock, when it reached the extra- 

 ordinary maximum of sixty visits, counting, of 

 course, in each case the combined efforts of male 



