68 THE INFANCY OF ANIMALS 



The nestling swallow, when it takes its first plunge into 

 mid-air, is able to fly ; but the capture of food on the wing 

 is another matter, requiring co-ordination of movement 

 and trained perception of what is good to eat. As a 

 consequence, we find that for a day or two young swallows 

 simply practise flight, and are fed by their parents while 

 at rest. The next step comes when they are fed while 

 on the wing, taking their food from the parent's beak 

 as they hover on trembling pinions. Yet a little while 

 and the food is dropped as the parent passes, and the 

 young are made to catch it as it falls. Soon after this 

 they acquire skill enough to capture food for themselves, 

 and the parents begin their preparation for another brood. 



What flight is to the eagle diving is to the nestlings 

 of the auk tribe, grebes, and divers ; that is to say, success 

 is a matter of life or death to them. In acquiring the 

 art there can be no doubt but that the young are instructed 

 by their parents. The adult razor-bill has been seen to 

 take her nestling by the neck and dive with it, many 

 times in succession ; and as these excursions seem to be 

 anything but pleasant at first, the young one often dives 

 for a moment to dodge its zealous parent, thus effecting 

 the end to be attained. Young grebes are certainly 

 given lessons in diving, and also in catching fish. 



During a few weeks spent on one of the Norfolk Broads 

 I had many opportunities of witnessing this. The work 

 of initiation into the art and mysteries of fishing does 

 not seem to be begun until the young are well grown, but 

 still in their striped, downy plumage. During the early 

 days of life they are zealously tended by both parents. 

 But at the time when my observations commenced the 

 male had evidently assigned his position and responsi- 

 bilities to his mate, for she alone accompanied the young. 



