PHAINOPEPLA 107 



two and perhaps three broods, while in California, where we found them, they 

 raise but one." 



With respect to the last statement, the evidence as to the num- 

 ber of broods raised in southern Arizona is not entirely clear. Refer- 

 ring to the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, Mr, Scott (1885) 

 says : "That there is a wide difference in the time of the breeding of 

 different pairs in th-e same locality cannot be doubted, but my experi- 

 ence leads me to believe that here, at least, only one brood is raised 

 during the season." Later, however, he writes (1888) : "It apparently 

 breeds throughout its range, raising at least two broods and probably 

 three." In the earlier paper, Mr. Scott also states that "'the number of 

 eggs would seem to be quite as frequently three as two." More recent 

 writings on the habits of the species in Arizona cast no further light 

 on the subject. 



The measurements of 50 eggs average 22.1 by 16.0 millimeters ; the 

 eggs showing the four extremes measure 25.7 by 16.7, 24.1 by 18.0, 19.3 

 by 15.2, and 20.4 by 14.7 millimeters. 



Young. — The incubation period is given by Frank L. Burns (1915) 

 as 16 days and by Frank F. Gander (1927) as 15 days; but two sets 

 timed by the writer hatched in 14 days. W. L. Dawson (1923) says: 

 "The young are hatched upon the fourteenth day after the deposition 

 of the last egg; and they would look much like blackberries a little 

 under-ripe, if their appearance were not relieved by generous tufts 

 of long white down. The edges of the mouth are bright yellow, 

 but the lining proper is flesh-colored. The parents do not feed by 

 regurgitation ; but berries are carefully crushed and perhaps invested 

 with parental mucus before being fed." Mrs. Myers (1908) describes 

 the feeding of the young as follows : "As near as I could tell, berries 

 and tiny insects formed the chief part of the diet. When the birds 

 fed pepper berries, or nightshade, the berries were taken from the 

 mouth down into the neck, and back several times before feeding. 

 In the case of the insects they seemed to be carried in the throat, 

 extending down into the neck, from which they were brought up by 

 a sort of pumping motion, not violent, however, like the finches." 



In the care of the young the female does at least her full share of 

 the work. In one nest so situated that it could be conveniently 

 watched without alarming the birds, the young were fed by the 

 female only, at intervals of 3 to 6 minutes except during the middle 

 of the day, when longer rest periods were taken. 



The aspect of the nestlings is made distinctive by the erect, pointed 

 crest, which begins to develop on the crown with the appearance of 

 the first pinfeathers. They differ from the young of most birds in 

 their willingness to leave the nest and return voluntarily before they 

 are ready to abandon it permanently. Two nestlings frightened from 



