THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
cases entirely — envelope the egg with its very long breast-feathers. I believe 
that the eggs are in most cases, completely enveloped by the feathers of the 
birds while incubating, for, when sitting birds are approached very closely — - 
and sometimes one can get within arm’s length — they always leave their eggs. 
Their mode of doing so is suggestive, for they first begin to rise on their feet 
very slowly and gently, rocking their bodies slightly from side to side as though 
to work the tips of their feathers from under their eggs. Their actions on 
returning are somewhat different. They advance very close to the eggs (almost 
touching them), then fluff out aU their feathers to their utmost, cover the eggs, 
and settle down upon them, returning their feathers to their normal position 
and rocking themselves from side to side as though to work the tips of their 
breast-feathers well under the eggs. 
“ As far as I am aware, the male birds sit throughout the whole period 
of incubation. I have at various times captured these birds, and without 
exception every one taken while on the eggs was a male bird. Exactly how 
long the egg takes to incubate is not known for certain, but apparently it is 
not very long — probably not exceeding a month. When the egg is hatched, 
one of the parent birds (probably the male) stays by the young for a week or 
ten days, apparently never leaving it for a moment, while the other brings 
minute fish and feeds the young one. The little fish are held crosswise, placed 
head to tail, in the bird’s bill. Rarely fewer than two fish are brought at once, 
but sometimes as many as four. The bird must, therefore, hold one fish in 
its bill while catching another. It is a very common sight to see the White 
Terns fishing. They simply flutter over the water and catch the fish as they 
(the fish) jump out of the water. 
“ It was noticeable that both the eggs and young of the White Tern, in 
general colour and markings, closely resembled the branches on which they 
are laid or hatched. For instance, a light-coloured egg is almost always found 
on a light-coloured branch, and a dark coloured egg is, without exception,, 
always found on a dark-coloured branch, and generally in a very shady place. 
The same is true of the young birds even to a greater extent. Their colour 
varies when just hatched, from dark brownish-grey to very light grey, or 
almost white. They all gradually become lighter as they grow older, but they 
are still far from uniform, even when full feathered. 
“When approached the young birds lie down on the branch with their 
necks stretched out, in which position they maj^ easily be mistaken for a little 
knob of grey lichen. They are very active, and run up and down the branch 
on which they live, and squeal whenever a bird flies close to them. They seem 
to have a great dislike for Tuis {Prosthemadera novce-zealandice), for these 
birds never miss an opportunity of attacking the Terns. The young cling to the 
438 
