227 



velopment by bursting the casing of the pin-feathers sooner 

 than they would unaided, and it may be that this is the 

 purpose of tlieir roughness. 



The tunnel that leads to the nest is just large enough for 

 one bird and gives him no room to turn around. When the 

 young get so they can walk, even though clumsily, they 

 often meet their parent at the door way, — at least one does, 



Fig. 193. SEVEN LITTLE KINGS. 



with the others crowding in a line behind. Before feeding 

 even the first one, the parent will usually force them all 

 back into the enlarged chamber. This walking in single 

 filCj usually in step, forward and backward often gets 

 them into the habit of moving in unison when they are re- 

 moved from the nest. It is a most comical sight to see 

 seven^ frizzly-headed birds deliberately take three or four 

 steps forward, backward or sidewise, as the case may be, in 



