. Animal Life and the World of Nature; A magazine of Natural History. DABCHICK S NKSl IOVEKED. DABCHICK S L-\CO\EEED. Home Life in Bird^Land 235. nest and offers his mate some food. The hen takes this love-gift and then immediately dives. ^^at^ttome!^ The bird now glances in the direction of his thankless mate, then climbs on to the nest and takes his tmn at sitting. In half-an- hour the hen returns. I watched these birds for nearl} three days, and seldom saw one sit for more than half- an hour at a time. Sometimes tlrey changed after five minutes sitting. It was a pretty exercise to see
. Animal Life and the World of Nature; A magazine of Natural History. DABCHICK S NKSl IOVEKED. DABCHICK S L-\CO\EEED. Home Life in Bird^Land 235. nest and offers his mate some food. The hen takes this love-gift and then immediately dives. ^^at^ttome!^ The bird now glances in the direction of his thankless mate, then climbs on to the nest and takes his tmn at sitting. In half-an- hour the hen returns. I watched these birds for nearl} three days, and seldom saw one sit for more than half- an hour at a time. Sometimes tlrey changed after five minutes sitting. It was a pretty exercise to see them change. The bird about -to relieve the other came up at the back of the nest, then the sitting bird dived almost before the others head showed above water. When a dabchick leaves the nest it is the usual custom to cover the eggs. The nest is often built on the surface of the water, and when the eggs are covered it looks exactly like a clump of floating weed. It is exceedingly interesting to note how quickly the sitting bird covers her eggs if any intruder approaches. The instant footsteps are heard she stands in her nest, and, with her two
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1902
