SAY'S PHOEBE 169 



have a few small spots of reddish or dark brown. The measurements 

 of 50 eggs average 19.5 by 15.1 millimeters; the eggs showing the 

 four extremes measure 21.6 by 15.5, 19.1 by 15.6 and 18.0 by 14.0 

 millimeters. 



Yoimg. — Major Bendire (1895) says: "Incubation lasts about twelve 

 days; the young are fed entirely on insects, mainly on small butter- 

 flies, which are abundant about that time, and they are ready to leave 

 the nest in about two weeks, when the male takes charge of them, 

 the female in the meantime getting ready for a second brood." 

 Apparently two broods are generally raised in a season throughout 

 most of the range of Say's phoebe, and in the southern portions often 

 three. Mrs. Wheelock (1904) writes: 



Incubation lasts two weeks, and although the male does not brood he sits 

 all day long on a lookout near by. The newly hatched young are naked except 

 for a slight gray fuzz on their saffron skin. Until six days old their eyes are 

 closed by a skinny membrane, and during this time they are fed by regurgitation. 

 They mature very rapidly, and in two weeks have their feathers well in order 

 for their first attempts to fly. Up to this time the father bird has diligently fed 

 and guarded both them and the mother, coming to the nest every two or three 

 minutes with butterflies in his bill. But as soon as they are ready to try their 

 wings, he assumes full charge, teaching them to fly and to catch insects on the 

 wing in true flycatcher fashion. 



She says that, while incubating on the second set of eggs, the female 

 is seldom fed by her mate, "but, since the days grow warmer, leaving 

 oftener and for longer intervals to forage for herself. Wlien the 

 second family is ready to fly, she takes charge of it unless the necessity 

 of rearing a third brood should compel her to desert them; and then, 

 from somewhere, the hitherto unnoticed male appears, to assume care 

 of them." 



Plumages. — I have seen no very young birds of this species, but the 

 young bird in full juvenal plumage is essentially like the adult, except 

 that the upper parts are browner, and the greater and median wing 

 coverts are broadly tipped with "cinnamon" or "cinnamon-buff," form- 

 ing two distinct bands. The sexes are alike in all plumages. 



Adults have a complete postnuptial molt during the latter part of 

 July and in August; I have seen adults in full molt as early as July 

 27 and as late as September 2 ; and I have seen an adult male in full 

 fresh plumage on August 31. I have seen a number of birds, taken 

 in January, February, and March, in which the contour plumage 

 about the head and neck is much worn ; and others, taken in May, in 

 wholly fresh plumage; this would seem to indicate a partial pre- 

 nuptial molt; two specimens, taken on March 30 and May 17, show 

 signs of body molt in progress. As adults and young are almost 

 indistinguishable after the postjuvenal molt in fall, these may be 

 young birds. 



