166 BIRD LIFE ON ISLAND AND SHORE 
Until we sailed, a species of soft white grub 
was the food almost exclusively supplied to the 
nestlings. Throughout very many hours’ watching 
at close quarters twice only I noted other pabulum 
offered. Once a hard-looking chrysalis and once 
a small green caterpillar were included in the 
juicy oblations—these two exceptional morsels 
given when the chicks were more than a fort- 
night old. The soft white maggots mentioned were 
plentiful; from beneath the tall clumps of as- 
pidium the Saddlebacks grubbed them with their 
powerful beaks. Most of the food was delivered 
by the male. In his hard horny bill he was able 
to carry three or four soft grubs not only un- 
broken but alive—I could see them squirm and 
wriggle. Very many more than that number 
were brought in at each trip, but by the time the 
nest was reached the earliest obtained had become 
reduced to a white pulpy mass much diluted 
with saliva. During the act of deglutition its 
ropy dribble could be noted sagging between the 
parent’s bill and the chick’s gape. This pulp 
seemed to be produced from somewhere about the 
base of the old bird’s beak. 
Although, however, most of the food was col- 
lected and brought in by the cock, he was by no 
means always allowed the pleasure of giving to 
the chicks all that he had gathered. If the hen 
was on the nest or in the neighbourhood—and she 
