292 



THE iVA TURK- S TUD Y RE J 'IE IV 



[2 : 9 — dec, 1906 



near the roof of the porch of an empty cottage. It contained two 

 young ones four days old. 



The male and female birds closely resembled each other; in fact, 

 it was difficult to distinguish one from the other, but the male had a 

 slightly larger crest, longer bill, and was somewhat brighter in color. 



Not once during the day was the call-note heard; they were doubt- 

 less too busy. 



Observation began at four o'clock. The female left the nest at 

 4.20 and from then the birds fed their young as follows: 



From 4.20 a. m. to 5.20 a.m.. 19 times. 



5.24 

 6.20 

 7.20 

 8.20 



6.20 " . 



7.20 " . 



8.20 " 



9.11 " 

 10.17 " 

 11. 01 " . 



I.07 P. M 



2.12 '■ 



3-45 " ■ 



5. 11 " 



6. 



18 



39 

 36 

 26 



!I 



J' 

 17 



'7 

 1 1 



'5 

 '5 

 16 



" 9. 11 



" 10.17 " 

 " 11. 01 " 



" I.07 P. M. 



" 2. 12 " 



" 3-5» " 

 " 5-" " 



The two birds returned at 6.20, presumably from a bath for they 

 preened their feathers. And from 6.20 to 7 p.m. the young fed 6 

 times'. At seven it began to rain, and became too dark to see well. 

 The female retired to the nest at 7.12 p.m. The total number of 

 feedings was two hundred and sixty. 



Eleven days later, July 24., just as the young phoebes were about 

 ready to fly, the cottage burned and no one had thought of the phoebes 

 until they came fluttering to the ground. Eager hands picked them 

 up and I rushed them to camp and swathed them in vaseline and cot- 

 ton. An hour later, both were crying for food. Eor four days I fed 

 the birds, mostly with locusts. Each day I planned to count the 

 insects, but catching and feeding them took all my spare time. Then 

 I found a phoebe which seemed quite willing to adopt a youngster 

 when placed in the nest with her own, and I glady relinquished my 

 claim upon one. The other phoebe had been badly burned, was 

 practically minus feathers, and was in a dilapidated condition save 

 his voice and stomach. For eleven days I fed him from one hundred 

 and fifty to two hundred locusts and other insects each day. The 

 feathers began to grow again, his eyes grew bright, and I was hoping 

 a speedy flight when an accident befell him and he had to be killed. 

 The fourth nest, the wren's, was found deseited on the appointed 



