THE MOREPORK 153 
during daylight. Against the nest and over it, 
tree-fern fronds and green-leaved branches dif- 
fused a pleasant gloom. A rapid inspection re- 
vealed two eggs, evidently from their dullness 
much incubated. On our retirement the hen at 
once returned, and reinstalled herself. Doubtless 
at that time she was particularly careful of her 
eggs; they had reached the most critical stage. 
Next day, in fact, one of them had hatched ; the 
following morning there were two chicks in the 
nest. , 
The covering of these Owlets was at first slate- 
grey, changing when the eyes began to open— 
about the sixth day—into a beautiful white down. 
Their heads were remarkable—extraordinarily min- 
ute, so small, in fact, as hardly to resemble heads 
at all, and doubly disproportionate in comparison 
with the enormous feet and legs. During our 
first day’s work near the nest, prior to the hatch- 
ing of the second egg, the hen when inadvertently 
disturbed had immediately returned, sometimes 
flying straight on to her nest, at other times 
pausing to utter a growling menacing note; 
sometimes, too, alighting a little distance from 
the nest, she would creep forwards in crouching, 
furtive, feline attitudes, crawling towards her 
eggs foot by foot with dilated eyes, like a cat in 
the act of stalking. 
During the second day, both eggs having 
