DECEPTIVE APPEARANCES 65 



this works out. For instance, the young of 

 small birds, sparrows, finches and the hke, 

 shortly after leaving the nest, fly at random 

 into the trees and thus become separated. 

 Having found suitable perches these young 

 birds, if undisturbed, remain quietly in the 

 same places hidden amongst the fohage, where 

 the parents find them and for some days con- 

 tinue to feed them at regular intervals. In the 

 meanwhile, the tail and wing feathers of the 

 fledglings are growing out to their full length. 

 It is now the birds begin to move about and 

 are prepared to seek their own Uving. But the 

 immediate surroundings (a plantation, it may 

 be) do not offer the kind of food suited to this 

 class of bird, thetrefore the old birds are seen 

 to come to the rescue. Uttering call notes, 

 they attract and induce the fledgUngs to 

 follow them ; the latter flutter in the wake of 

 their parents, who lead the way to the nearest 

 field or open space bordering on the planta- 

 tion ; here, on the ground, the young ones 

 begin to pick up food for themselves. 



Another example of what seems to be an 

 exhibition of parental schooUng is when a pair 

 of swans is seen flapping along the surface of 

 the water followed by all the cygnets. With 

 great noise and the splashing of many wings, 

 the spectacle is pleasing and always attracts 



