Life Histories of Various Species 
197 
tiimilig about a minute, wlieii the iiestliiig- withdrew its beak. 
The other nestling then inserted its beak and the ])rocess was 
repeated, 15 seconds elapsing before its beak was removed. With 
intervals varying from 5 to 10 seconds (watch in hand) four 
such feedings, two to each nestling, occurred. The nestling not 
being fed was continually trying to insert iis beak in that of the 
parent and at the fifth feeding both succeeding in accomplishing 
this at the same time. The nestlings’ beaks were inserted from 
opposite sides of the parent’s mouth and remained in place during 
the feeding operation although I could not say whether or not 
both received food. While being fed the nestlings frequently 
jerked the head from side to side and also followed the motion of 
the parent’s beak by raising and lowering themselves by the use 
of the legs. Tiiej^ were not more than five days old but had better 
use of their muscles than the young of passerine birds at from 
eight to ten days of age. The entire process described above 
occupied about six minutes, after which the nestlings crawled 
back beneath the parent. 
Shortly after making these observations an interesting article 
on the rock dove which apjieared in the Auk * attracted my at- 
tention. In this article the account of the feeding |)rocess is as 
follows : The feeding of the young with the so-called ‘pigeon 
milk’ by both ])arents is an interesting phenomenon. The adult 
thrusts its bill deep down into the sides of the bill of the squab, 
vibrates its wings and Avorks its neck muscles in a pumping 
manner. The squab, Avlieii not actually engaged in the feeding 
process, waves its wings and calls in beseeching, Avhistling notes 
for more.” 
Apparently here were tAvo radically different methods of 
feeding practiced by two closely related species, but this dis- 
crepancy may be explained by the folloAving quotation from 
Tegetmeier.f To receive nourishment the young thrusts its 
beak into the side of the mouth of the old bird, in such a position 
that the soft food which is disgorged from the crop of the parent, 
Avith a sort of convulsive shudder, is received into the lower 
mandible or jaAv which is Avidely expanded to receive it. It is 
singular that so simple an action as this should have been so 
greatly niisrepresented as it has been by many Avriters. Even so 
* ToAvnsend, Chas. W., M.D. Notes cn the Rock Dove (Columda 
domestica) , Auk, Vol, XXXII, July, 1915. 
fTegetmeier, W. B. F. Z. S. Pigeons; their structure, varieties, hab- 
its and management. London, 1868. 
