6 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 23 7 paet i 



elongated-ovate or short-ovate, and are somewhat glossy. The 

 ground color is grayish white, bufFy white, or gi"eenish white, and is 

 generally well speckled and spotted with such shades of brown as 

 "pecan brown," "cmnamon brown," "mummy brown," and "Brus- 

 sels brown," with underlying spots of "pale Quaker drab," "light 

 mouse gray," or "pale violet gray." In most cases the markings are 

 fairly evenly distributed over the entire egg, with tendency to become 

 more concentrated toward the large end, but some eggs are so thickly 

 speckled that the ground is almost obscured, while others may be 

 very sparsely spotted or boldly marked with irregular spots or blotches. 



The measurements of 50 eggs average 25.3 by 18.2 millimeters; 

 the eggs showing the four extremes measure 27.9 by 18.3, 24.9 by 

 19.8, 21.8 by 17.6, and 26.9 by 16.8 miUimeters. 



Young. — Incubation is performed normally by the female, but the 

 male has been seen occassionally to sit on the nest for short periods. 



Hervey Brackbill says in his notes: "Observations on two nests in 

 Baltimore indicate that, although some sitting is done earlier, incuba- 

 tion at full intensity is not begun until the final egg has been laid. At 

 an early May nest there was some incubation on the day the first egg 

 was laid, but the bird did not roost on the nest until the second had been 

 laid, and apparently did not begin steady sitting imtil the third was 

 laid." 



According to Mrs. Laskey (MS.), the period of incubation is 12 to 

 13 days. Three eggs, marked by Brackbill, hatched in 11 days 13 

 hours, 12 days 1 hour, and 12 days IK hours. 



Mrs. Laskey (MS.) says that the yoimg remain in the nest normally 

 for 9 or 10 days, but may leave at 7 days of age when disturbed, or ma}'' 

 stay in the nest until 11 days old. Yoimg cardinals are fed by both 

 parents while they are in the nest, and for some time thereafter. 

 Brackbill (1944) made some observations on a brood of color-banded 

 young cardmals that "showed weak but effectual flight on the day of 

 nest-leaving, at about 10 days of age, the birds being able to keep to 

 cover well above the ground; strong flight by the age of about 19 days, 

 partial independence at about 38 days, complete independence at 45 

 days, and severence of family ties at 56 to 59 days. * * * 



"In the presence of a parent both of the juveniles that I kept under 

 observation begged for food to the very end of their association, 

 although during the final 12 or 14 days the begging was always futile." 



Gertrude Fay Harvey (1903) watched both parents feed the young 

 that were raised in her conservatory. "The food was grubs and insects, 

 which the old birds swallowed and gave to the young by regurgitation 

 during the first week. Afterwards it was given directly and it was 

 interesting to see what large mouthfuls the little fellows could accom- 



