.EGIA.LITIS CANTIANA. 951 



the intruder from the nests were most interesting to witness. They consisted in the bird flying off to the 

 right hand in front and then circling away across me to the left and making a circuit in rear until it came 

 round to where it rose ; this movement it would perform uttering the ordinary note, chit-ek, chit-ek. On 

 alighting it would run off, supplementing this sound with a short whistle ; and if successful in inducing me 

 to follow it, it would squat on the ground for a moment and continue on again with a low harsh cry. Were, 

 however, its powers of persuasion not sufficient to draw me away in pursuit of it, it would rise and make the 

 same circuit as before, always alighting to my right hand about 30 yards from where I stood. These move- 

 ments were performed while I was in actual search of the nest ; when approaching the vicinity of a nest for 

 the first time, however, my attention was always drawn to the bird running along with its wings trailing on 

 the ground." 



i 



