174 Transactions. — Zoology. 



their hole till their wings are well grown. This stay-at-home habit saves the 

 parents much expenditure of force, depending, as they do, for food on living 

 prey; nor is the safety of their offspring so often jeopardised. Rapid digestion 

 would cause the young to utter constant cries for food, which would disclose. 

 to enemies the whereabouts of each member of a scattered brood j the labour 

 of hunting after stray young ones would be very great compared to the task of 

 carrying food to one common feeding place. It should be noted that the egg 

 chamber is hollowed out slightly below the floor of the tunnel, a ridge is thus 

 formed by which the eggs and newly hatched young are kept safe from 

 accident ; in fact there is no need of a nest during incubation, the warmth 

 that is communicated to the hole by the body of the sitting bird being very 

 considerable. 



The birds that built near us last season gave plenty of opportunity to 

 watch their labours : steady hard work it is, indeed, that in some instances 

 endures for weeks. After the site is selected, and a commencement made, 

 the birds do not both leave the spot, watch being kept by one whilst its mate 

 works or is absent after food. Should an alarm be given it is speedily 

 answered, though from the distance of half-a-mile. Both take about an equal 

 share of labour. On timing them it was found that if the hen worked hardest 

 one day on the next the cock was most laborious. 



Note. — October 23rd, hen at work in the hole three minutes, cock then took 

 his turn j the time in the tunnel for either bird varying from a few seconds to 

 about three minutes. When the hen flew ofl" to feed, the cock remained to 

 watch just below the hole; after his mate returned, in about 20 minutes, he at 

 once recommenced work. They darted upwards from their perches into the 

 hole, always correctly judging the distance, at the moment of entering uttering 

 a short cry of two notes like " chi-rit." They turned when in the tunnel, as 

 they always emerged head first. Once the hen darted to the hole and flew 

 back, perhaps from timidity, more likely from coquetry, then sought the cock, 

 who bent down from his perch and caressed her with his bill. Early in the 

 morning, from five to six o'clock, little work was done, that part of the day 

 seeming to be the time allotted for feeding, but the state of the tide might 

 have had something to do with this as the greater part of their food is 

 procured from the mud-flats at ebb tide. 



A notable instance of their perseverance was given this season ; a pair 

 fixed for the site of their nesting place the back of a plaistered sod chimney 

 attached to an empty cottage ; they were working at the chimney on the 19th 

 of October. After commencing on the egg chamber this nest was abandoned, 

 probably the wall not affording what was considered by them a sufficient 

 depth for the safety of their offspring. 



Note. — November 3rd, they were hard at work with a fresh nest in front 



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