124 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. xm. 



nest , the young were very soon in difficulties . They panted and 

 could not keep still, but crawled or rather squirmed their way all 

 over the nest. Dozens of times I have expected to see one 

 topple off the edge of the nest, and been on the point of slipping 

 out to rescue it ; but instinct, I suppose, has warned it to 

 change direction and regain safety. Sometimes two of them 

 in their wanderings run up against each other, and the contact 

 seems to quieten them for a short time, but soon they recom- 

 mence their rambles. At times all the young will be spread- 

 eagled about the nest ; necks outstretched, wings partly so, 

 bills open and bodies absolutely flat on the nest. Of course 

 the heat takes the energy and life out of the young very much. 

 This is evidenced by their disinclination to feed if the cock 

 brings a meal during the hot spell. There is none of that 

 rapid drawing up to the "joint " that takes place in a more 

 comfortable temperature. Neither is the rapid simultaneous 

 grab for the bit torn off by the hen much in evidence. In- 

 stead, it may be that not one will attempt to get up to be fed. 

 Then the hen's anxiety is really touching. She seems quite 

 at a loss to know what to do. She may tear off bits and, 

 after holding them in the tip of her bill for a short time, 

 swallow them herself. She may reach over another bit and offer 

 it to one or other of the young. If it is accepted that young- 

 ster usually turns and comes up to the normal position and then 

 the chances are that more of the young may follow. But 

 they have no appetite and seem to sicken of the food, and the 

 hen has to eat most of it herself. At a very early stage she 

 may help the young to the proper position ; after that I 

 have seen her tear off a bit of meat and draw it across the 

 top of the nestling's bill : after this is done once or twice 

 the young one usually opens the bill,- and then the meat is 

 put in very quickly and gently, and is very languidly bolted. 

 As the young get fledged and are able to stand they are 

 left to seek shade for themselves, and I think that under the 

 circumstances they begin to climb up branches away from 

 the nest at an earlier age than usual. In wet weather the 

 young cannot preen ; in warm, dry weather they spend an 

 enormous amount of their time preening when once brooding 

 has stopped ; if, however, the sun gets on them, in any 

 strength, they are quite incapable of the exertion required. 



