Coitruata maccarmick: Dec 7/ I have had the 2 shrew chicks - Modoc & Gretchin on the floor of the lab while writing my journal. This is the first time I have observed them together like that for any length of time. Modoc is definitely aggressive towards his "sister". Typically he would right her, stand up high w/ neck stretched & breast thrown out a little & utter a 5 5 5 guttural but juvenile call which sounds like a chick version of the challenge. He would then start towards Gretchin, who on hearing him & seeing him call would start running with shrieks of alarm. They were justified. Modoc pecked at her as hard as he could whenever he caught her. Gretchin however was fast enough that she was only caught a couple of times. Often she would hide from Modoc behind cans etc. as if clearly recognizing his threat. Earlier they have been fighting in their box, & when they were on the cold vegeta, Modoc would peck at it's fast & pull strongly on it. Two plus the observation at nest 308 yesterday where the older chick was seen behaving the same way towards the sponge, convinces me that these chicks are hostile to each Maley 1960 Gretchin Modoc Modoc challenge Nest 308 chick aggression