166 MUTTON BIRDS 



by the other two species. I am now inclined to 

 think that when we arrived most of the members 

 of each of the three species had already nested 

 and reared their young, and that it was these 

 nestlings who made up the bulk of the birds 

 disturbed by us, and who, having once left their 

 headquarters, never returned in full numbers. 



Certainly the Pied Shag must have started to 

 lay in June; for, although some birds of this 

 breed were still incubating their eggs, there were 

 numbers of strong young fliers about the colony, 

 birds barely to be distinguished from their 

 parents but by the less pure colours of their 

 plumage. 



There were others again, resident chiefly in 

 solemn rows, on low, bare boughs just above high 

 tide, who, still, by their solicitations could lure 

 the old birds from their heights. At first the 

 relationship of parent and child in this phase of 

 life puzzled and surprised me, for although the 

 old bird would drop to the waters of the Bay, 

 yet never did tribute seem willingly paid to the 

 ravenous supplicant; with extended wings and 

 gestures of entreaty perhaps for half a minute, 

 the youngster would be forced to beat the water 

 to foam, thrashing in circles round the parent 

 or, as I had elsewhere observed, decoyed to hunt 

 it through the waters. It soon became clear, 

 however, that only in this way perhaps, could 

 these hobbledehoys be induced to take exercise, 

 or receive the subaqueous lessons useful to them 

 in later life. Otherwise, if unwilling to 

 supply food, the old birds would never 

 have placed themselves where pursuit was 

 possible ; rather, having come down to the 

 Shaglets' level they would have given cheer- 



