Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explain parental aggression to offspring in the moorhen (Gallinula chloropus). Males and females did not feed different subsets of chicks. In addition, there was a positive correlation between feeding rates of each parent to a particular chick and the number of attacks (tousles) directed to that chick, contrary to what was expected if aggression served to divide the brood. In moorhens, large chicks outcompeted small chicks for parental feedings. However, adults were more aggressive to large chicks and as a result small chicks spent significantly more time closer to parents and received more feedings than large chicks. In 84% of broods every chick was attacked at least once, although large chicks were attacked more often than small chicks. The behaviour of chicks changed immediately after an attack (Table 2). Before an attack chicks were <1 m from the parents while after an attack they were >1 m. The apparent effect of parental aggression in moorhens is to reduce demands by chicks for feedings. Aggression appears to reduce sibling competition and to encourage chick independence.

Abstract: Twenty-five split-brain monkeys were taught to discriminate two types of visual stimuli that engage lateralized cerebral processing in human subjects. Differential lateralization for the two kinds of discriminations was found; the left hemisphere was better at distinguishing between tilted lines and the right hemisphere was better at discriminating faces. These results indicate that lateralization of cognitive processing appeared in primates independently of language or handedness. In addition, cerebral lateralization in monkeys may provide an appropriate model for studying the biological basis of hemispheric specialization.