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Grey River Argus, 11 October 1948, Page 5

Four fledgling fantails were sitting close together on a branch near the trunk of a tree, reports a contributor to “Forest and Bird.” The mother arrived soon and fed the one nearest the trunk. This one became very excited when the mother bird arrived whilst the others remained absolutely still After a second or two. the one that had just been fed stood up and scrambled over the backs of the other throe and cuddled up close to the bird at the other end. Soon the second bird became very excited, the mother arrived and fed it. Then this one repeated the same antics as did the first one. scrambling over the backs of the others, crawling up close to the end one and then remaining immobile. -n this manTier each was fed in turn, the programme be ! ng repeated several times until they had moved some 18 inches along the branch. Then suddenly ail four stood up, and. the one furthest, from the trunk of the tree nudged the neighbouring bird. The nudge was passed on and soon by a nudgehop procedure the whole four were once again close up against the tree trunk. This peculiar feeding procedure was kept up for over half an hour.