194 An April Morning in Northern India. 
tightly that I was unable to take it out without fear of hurt- 
ing it. The four youngsters I had pulled out foi'nied a curious 
crew. One of them was almost ready to leave the nest, while 
one had scarcely a feather on him. The latter must have 
been hatched out fully a week after the former. Between 
these two in age came the other two birds. The first plumage 
of the nestling is in all respects like that of the adult, and the 
young bird erects its crest when alarmed or angry just as the 
adult does. The beak is much shorter than that of the adult 
and not curved. It is very like that of a Woodpecker, being 
considerably stouter at the base than at the tip. The corona 
does not fold back when closed as neatly as it does in the case 
of the adult bird. Young Hoopoes, just before they leave the 
nest, look very like Woodpeckers, and, but for the very Foopoe- 
like plumage, might easily pass for young Woodpeckers. No 
one looking at a Hoopoe nestling can fail to be struck hy the 
resemblance. It would seem that Hoopoes are nearly related to 
Woodpeckers. Having inspected the young birds I put them 
back in the nest and replaced the grating. 
Before leaving the roof I went to the edge in order 
to look at one of the Dove's nests, which was in a creeper 
growing over the wall. I was thus able to look down at 
the nest. A parent bird was sitting on it, brooding two 
young birds. I put it off by clapping my hands and it alighted 
on the ground. To my astonishment, immediately on reaching 
the ground it I'an along dragging its left wing as though 
this was broken. I had never before seen a Dove act in this 
way. It ran thus for a couple of yards before it was lost 
to view befiind a projecting verandah. I rusfied ('own the 
steps in order to obtain another view of it. It Avas still 
behaving as though its wing wei'e broken; after running like 
this for a few yards it took to its wings. It is of interest 
that the bird continued to behave as though its wing were 
broken when it could not see me or I see it. This, I submit, 
tends to confirm the view I have put forward repeatedly, 
that the so-called simulation of injury is not an intelli.-r-vil act, 
but an instinctive one, merely an expression of 'he fact 
thait a bird is torn between conflicting emotions, that of a desire 
to stay with its young and of Avishing to escape from a creature 
of which it is afraid. 
