mann] A SCHOOLROOM STUDY OF A ROBINS XFST 267 



lems naturally took the form of those made on the previous nest. 

 Sheets of paper were prepared, ruled with columns for each set of 

 observations to be made: 1. The number of the feeding for 

 that day. 2. Time of the feeding. 3. The parent bringing 

 the food. 4. The kind of food. 5. The number of pieces of 

 food brought. 6. The nestling fed. 7. Remarks: any be- 

 havior of parents or nestlings. 



We decided to make complete all-day observations for six days, 

 three of the days to be at once while the birds were small and 

 three just before we might expect them to leave the nest. The 

 observations had to begin at daylight, about 3 :5c) a.m., and con- 

 tinue until the birds had settled for the night. We prepared a 

 regular schedule and each student observed and recorded for an 

 hour and never left until the one who was to relieve him was 

 seated at the window and ready to begin work. The window was 

 open and the observer sat so near that at any time he could put 

 out his hand and touch the nest. The mother soon became 

 accustomed to our presence and was rarely disturbed by it unless 

 an unusual or quick movement was made ; then, if absent, she as 

 a rule immediately reappeared ready for protest and defense. 

 We soon learned that the young birds were half orphans — the 

 dead body of the male being found upon the ground near the 

 nest — and that all the care and feeding would necessarily devolve 

 upon the mother. This made conditions somewhat unnatural, 

 and life at the nest was less varied and interesting than it had 

 been with the May brood when both parents took part in the 

 duties. But the constant activity and the devotion of the bird 

 mother were something to be long remembered. 



The nestlings were marked on the bill with inks of different 

 colors and designated as Nos. 1, 2 and 3. Each morning any 

 interesting change in appearance or any unusual behavior of the 

 young birds was reported to the class. One day it was that No. 3 

 had opened its eyes; on another day that No. 1 had flapped its 

 wings as if trying to fly or that No. 2 had stood on the edge of the 

 nest. Every day at recitation time the little ones were carefully 

 placed in a bowl lined with cotton wool and weighed on a plat- 

 form balance. Their weight was recorded and the gain during 

 twenty-four hours ascertained and compared with that of the 

 previous day, together with the amount of food taken during the 

 period. Some interesting and unexpected relations were dis- 



