AMEBIC AN ORNITHOLOGY. 



277 



closed a beautiful sight; contrasting with the dark brown earth and re- 

 lieved by the snowy white collars, the backs and crests of the little ones 

 appeared a delicate shade of blue; six sharpie pointed beaks were turned 

 with one accord in our direction and twelve bright brown eyes blinked 

 there surprise at our intrusion. They proved very tractable and like a 

 company of soldiers would stand in line wherever we placed them v 

 Two of them were a little unruly and showed considerable animosity 

 toward each other, one grabbing the other by the wing and the latter 

 retaliating by vigorously pecking his brother. Peace in the family was 

 restored by separating the beligerants and then they kindly allowed us 

 to make a series of views of them in various attitudes and groups. 

 They were at this time in full plumage, nearly as large as their parents 

 and would probably have left the nest on the day that we visited them 

 had they not been disturbed. We left them as we found them snugly 

 ensconced at the end of their burrow and safely protected from rodents 

 and inclement weather by the stone roof. 



