194 Selous: Ornithological Observations in Brittany. 
is quickly back and feeds them again, or the other one does so, 
and there are two quick repetitions of this before the young are 
brooded by the last provider. This one, just before 8, receives 
a green caterpillar from the bill of its cava sposo. 
JuLy 16TH.—This afternoon I watched the nest at very 
close quarters for about an hour and a quarter. This proximity, 
which yet left the birds entirely at their ease, I achieved by 
pulling down the osier branches over and all around me, tying 
them together with string, and then thatching them, as it 
were, with bracken fronds. When all was completed I looked 
right into the nest at only a step or two away. My chief 
observations were as follows :— 
(1) The habits of mutual accommodation, as between the 
parents and young which have arisen in relation to the de- 
foecation of the latter. So accustomed has the chick become to 
have the excreta removed, immediately upon the performance 
of this function, that the time of the arrival at the nest of either 
parent has become connected in its mind with the act in 
question, nor will it, apparently, unless through necessity 
(which happens but rarely) relieve itself in this manner during 
the intervals between such visits, but concurrently with them, 
cocks up the anus, most evidently for the parent to perform 
this office. The parent does so, as a matter of course, and if 
there is any undue delay, pecks with its bill into the orifice, 
thus hastening the evacuation. But whether the parent also 
sometimes in the first instance, endeavours to induce the 
young to defcecate, when it has, as yet, made no motion towards 
it, I am not quite sure but think so, as it certainly directs its 
bill downwards to the chick in the nest, and, I think, to that 
part, whilst waiting obviously for this to take place. Moreover, 
the other makes this, being but a slight extension of it, in 
itself, probable. 
(2) The occasional bringing to the nest of several flies at 
a time, with which two or more chicks are fed. 
(3) Once something very peculiar, viz., a long string, or 
rather chain of flies, hanging one from another, as though the 
legs had been threaded together. With this fly-chain, two 
chicks, as a minimum, were fed. 
(4) The excreta were either swallowed, at once, upon re- 
moval by the parents, or else carried away by them. 
(5) The ‘ rattling’ or harsh chattering note which would 
be almost universally attributed to alarm or disquiet on the: 
birds’ part, was frequent, even when feeding was proceeding 
freely, and the young would often rise up open-mouthed in 
the nest, upon hearing it. There were numerous visits at 
irregular and mostly short intervals, and -both parents fed 
the young. The time occupied was from about 6-30 to 7-45 
p.m. 
Naturalist, 
