180 TERRITORY AND REPRODUCTION 



fragile organisms, ill-fitted, one would think, to 

 withstand extremes of temperature, and wholly- 

 incapable of protecting themselves from enemies 

 of any description. For the first three days 

 after they are hatched the female spends much 

 of her time in brooding them, and, when she 

 is thus occupied, the male- sometimes brings 

 food to her, which she proceeds to distribute 

 or swallows. But all the young cannot be fed, 

 neither are they ready to be fed, at the same 

 moment; and the parents have besides to find 

 food for themselves, and the nest has to be 

 cleaned — all of which necessitates the young 

 being exposed to the elements at freqiient 

 intervals. Now it is impossible to observe the 

 instinctive routine, of the parents, when the 

 young need attention, without being impressed 

 with the conative aspect of their behaviour. 

 Why, we ask, are the movements of the female 

 so brisk ; why does she seek food and clean 

 the nest so hurriedly; why, if her instinctive 

 routine is interrupted, do her actions and her 

 attitude betray such bewilderment? I take it 

 that the only answer we can give to these 

 questions is that the part of her inherited 

 nature which predominates just at this parti- 

 cular time is to brood. But why is brooding 

 of such importance? Partly to maintain the 

 young at the proper temperature, and thereby 

 to induce sleep — and sleep for offspring newly 

 hatched is as important as food — and partly to 

 protect them from the risk of exposure to 

 extremes of temperature. This latter danger 



