244 Papers from the Marine Biological Laboratory at Tortugas. 



victor all the time shaking his opponent as does the adult. Not the slightest 

 sign of play has yet manifested itself. The birds as yet show no discrimina- 

 tion as regards what objects they peck at. They are as likely to attempt to 

 swallow my finger as the fish. \'ery minute objects, however, such as 

 specks and hairs (as is the case with chicks, according to Lloyd Morgan) 

 are not noticed by them. 



Fourth day: 



I was awakened at dawn by the lusty " peeps " of the birds (I slept in a 

 hammock about lo feet away from them). When I "peeped" back the 

 birds answered in a persistent chorus. Other sounds, which I made to test 

 whether the above note was a discriminated auditory stimulus, were not 

 answereil when I made them higher or lower, or if they differed widely in 

 clang quality. The birds, however, would answer the " peep '" of other 

 men if it were given at the usual pitch. 



Tiie birds are healthy and larger than those in the field. Three birds, 

 3 and 4 days of age, were taken from the field to compare with the birds 

 reared in captivity. These birds were exceedingly wild, and although I kept 

 them in captivity for 2 or 3 weeks, while they showed improvement in this 

 respect, they never wholly lost their fear of me. 



Their sleeping and lounging attitudes are very striking. In most cases, 

 after a full meal is taken, the birds go to sleep. When lying down one leg 

 (at times both legs) is stuck out so as to give the ventral surface of the body 

 contact with the ground. Head is completely outstretched and laid on 

 one side ; eyes are closed. At other times the bird rests its rump on the 

 ground, using legs as a prop, and dozes in this attitude. As it dozes its head 

 falls to the right or to the left or vertically downward between the legs. 

 When the beak strikes the ground the eyes are partially opened, the head is 

 raised again and the process is repeated. 



Fifth day: 



I began training the birds to-day, to get them to form the habit of com- 

 ing to a certain place for food and eating without assistance from me. The 

 test was very simple. A dry-goods box 8 inches in height had an inclined 

 plane, 2 feet in length, leading from the top to the floor. The birds were 

 to be fed on top of the box. 



I first put a bird upon the inclined plane and dangled fish in front of it, 

 attempting to toll it upward. At first the bird would stand in its tracks, 

 extending neck and head to strike at the fish. After trying this upon all of 

 the birds I would pick them up, place them on top of the box, and there 

 feed them. At the end of the third feeding the birds had begun to clamber 

 up the plane. Walking upwards at this angle gave them some difliculty. 

 They looked intently always at the fish and paid little attention to their own 

 movements ; occasionally mishaps such as falling from the plane occurred. 

 At the end of the third feeding it was still necessary to start each bird by 

 placing it on the inclined plane. No attempt was made by the other birds to 

 follow the bird which was being tolled to the top of the box. The birds still 

 show no discrimination as regards their food. They will swallow almost 

 anvthing. I tested them with several different kinds of fish, small crabs, 

 strings, and sticks — whatever was presented was swallowed unless care was 

 taken to prevent it. 



