332 LAND BIRDS 



side, these also binding it to the twigs and helping to 

 hold it on the limb. So firmly is the whole put together 

 and fastened to the branch that no storm can move it 

 from its foundations. None of the nests were higher 

 than twelve feet from the ground, and one was only eight 

 feet up. They were in neighboring trees only about fifty 

 yards apart. 



On the tenth of March three nests contained two 

 and three eggs respectively ; incubation had begun, and 

 silence reigned in Nutcracker Camp. Whichever bird 

 happened to be on the nest w^as fed by the other, and in 

 one instance I am positive that it was the female who 

 brought food to her mate. I judged this because of her 

 more fluffy, worn plumage and heavier build. Incuba- 

 tion lasted eighteen days. The newly hatched young in 

 these nests were naked and very dark bluish gray. I think 

 those recorded by another observer as " pied black and 

 white " must have been taken at a later date. When 

 two weeks old they do look somewhat mottled, though 

 I should describe it as light and dark dusky rather than 

 black and white ; or possibly whitish and dark gray 

 would hit it nearer. They were fed on pinon nuts, 

 which were carried to the nest and hulled by the adult 

 while perched just outside on the branch. I could not 

 discover that any other food was brought them. At first 

 this was given by regurgitation, but when the young 

 were a few days old the food was supplied to them 

 direct. 



As soon as they were ready to leave the nest they 

 were coaxed by short flights to the nut pines, and readily 



