38 TiMEHRI. 
out special appliances, to secure the little bird alive and 
uninjured after it has once been shaken down into the 
dark water. The diving is rapid and clean ; and the dis- 
tance dived often several yards, sometimes with the cur- 
rent and sometimes against it. If left alone, the little bird 
either floats on the water or hooks itself up on to some 
twig and perches like a kingfisher, immediately plung- 
ing off like a darter when closely approached. If the 
water were clear, it would no doubt be easy to trace its 
course and secure it as it rises, but under the conditions 
where it lives, the little creature is secure. 
That this power or habit is due to some instin6live sur- 
vival from an earlier mode of life in past ages of develop- 
ment can hardly be doubted. 
Nesting time of tropical Birds — It is often taken for 
granted that the nesting time of tropical birds agrees 
with that of the birds of the colder or temperate regions, 
and in fa6t the ordinance for the protection of our birds 
is based on this idea^ the months from April to August 
inclusive, being a close season. In reality, however, 
with the exception of a few forms such as the herons and 
cotingas, the tropical American birds seem to nest quite 
irregularly. It is certain that the hawks, owls, vultures, 
parrots, cuckoos, bill-birds, hangnests, tyrant shrikes and 
other such forms nest all round the year, and it would 
seem to be the case that in nearly all forms of tropical 
birds, the nesting depends more on abundant food con- 
ditions than on the seasons'— as indeed is the case in the 
temperate climes where after the Spring, food becomes 
much more plentiful. 
