Keeping their heads cool. 31 
CHAPTER IV. 
FAMINE IN THE EyRIE. 
AM uncertain whether the famine incident described in the 
present chapter was due to the Falcon’s resentment of the 
constant presence of spying strangers at the eyrie, and that 
she voluntarily: absented herself for a time in disgust, or that, 
having been shot, the Tiercel managed to secure the services of 
another Falcon as a lady-help. The behaviour of the Falcon, as 
described in Chapter V., is no guide, because, as previously ex- 
plained, for purposes of continuity, although chronologically correct 
as regards the age of the young, most of the incidents described 
really occurred in 1910, when the tent was twenty-five feet away, 
and the birds were therefore not subjected to quite so much 
intrusive inspection. 
F. Heatherley’s watch, from 12.30 p.m., May 24th, to 3.30 p.m., 
May 25th.—On relieving Booth I found the youngsters with full 
crops, except the smaller male. As in Ig10, one male is distinctly 
smaller than the other. One female had her crop so distended that 
she showed purplish skin bare of down, so that it looked like a 
goitre. The young soon settled off to sleep, flat on their bellies, 
with both legs stretched out behind them. Only a young male 
chose the nest depression, the rest lying with their bodies in the 
sun and their heads in the shade, either of the mallow leaves or 
rocks. About 1.30 they woke up and a male and female started 
preening themselves. At 1.40 p.m. they were fed on a passerine 
bird, brought in his beak by the Tiercel, who alighting on B trans- 
ferred the bird to his left talons. At 3.45 there was another feed 
by the Tiercel. The two young females kept in the background 
during most of this meal, whimpering in a half-hearted way as if 
they would eat “an they had room.” After this meal he jumped 
on to C and watched the shed narrowly for eight minutes. He 
stood there with wings slightly open and every feather smooth, 
