ON THE BEHAVIOUR OF YOUNG OULLS ARTIFICIALLY HATCHED. 381 



Once or twice I saw one peck at a flame, but as far as I could see they 

 never swallowed anything injurious or useless. They would test particles 

 of tobacco, for instance, with an exceedingly rapid touch, but they never 

 went beyond testing. The same was true of young coots. I tried X re- 

 peatedly with a little twisted roll of paper : he pecked at it three times 

 after much provocation, but he threw it away each time, and beside this 

 we have to place the fact that they ate worms in the garden and small 

 insects without any hesitation the very first time. A heavy meal of a 

 particular sort seemed to b3 followed by repugnance to the same food 

 next day ; they showed that repentance which is ' the weight of undigested 

 meals ate yesterday.' Thus I note that ' Alpha and Beta ate too much 

 tish yesterday, won't touch it to-day, but take liver freely,' and similarly 

 Nvith many other food-stuffs. Noteworthy achievements were catching 

 a Hying insect and breaking an earthworm into three pieces. 



As to quickness of learning, I observed that of two nestlings who 

 were having their first experience of food in a saucer, the elder after some 

 food had been given to it pecked of itself, while the younger pecked at 

 first only at the bill of its senior, but within five minutes pecked also out 

 of the saucer. 



As to sounds, it seemed possible to distinguish (a) the peep-peep 

 uttered before birth and long afterwards when they were not completely 

 comfortable. The saoDe is heard at the gullery when the mother has been 

 off the nest for some time ; sometimes in my specimens it would not be 

 once heard for fifteen minutes or more. It means cold, hunger, or some 

 discomfort, (b) Secondly, there is a deeper, more adult-like dissyllabic 

 quack uttered in excitement before food, (c) Thirdly, a sharp surprise 

 cry uttered when they were lifted quickly into bright light, or disturbed. 

 (d) Fourthly, there is a very plaintive, but contented, almost sigh-like 

 cheep, often when very comfortable. 



One thing the young gulls seemed to have to learn in their artificial 

 environment was to recognise water to drink, but this was probably 

 because it was presented to them not quite normally — in saucers, glass 

 vessels, and shallow bath. Although thirsty, they would walk round, or 

 even at first through, a saucer without using their opportunity. As with 

 Lloyd Morgan's chicks they drank if they got their bills wet by pecking 

 while standing in the water, and they also drank when thrown into 

 water. Only after ten days' education did one of them go at once to a 

 dish of water placed on the floor and drink. I conclude that an artificial 

 association was established between a shining surface and drink, for I 

 have seen my gulls of three weeks or so trying to drink from the glass lid 

 of a pasteboard specimen box placed on the floor. 



Another general impression I got was that the kin-instinct is strong. 

 There seems to be even from within the egg a responsive piping to those 

 outside. On the first day Beth tried to make towards Aleph in a separate 

 compartment of the incubator ; an older bird showed the greatest com- 

 placence towards its younger companion who followed it about and often 

 tried to snuggle under its imperfect wing ; when one, before having its 

 first bath, tumbled from the floating cork raft into the water, and was for a 

 moment confused and screamed, his companion, who had experience of 

 two previous baths, jumped after the first, swam to him, and touched him ; 

 where two strangers were brought together for convenience of warmth, 

 there was in one case amity after a few bill-peckings ; in another case 

 they were not seen nestling together till the third day ; in two cases 



