230) Nesting of tJiP Jiosf-h/rasfcd GroshraJc. 



close to the Grosbeak's nest, paying no attention to tho sitting 

 bird, and in turn being paid nu attcuiion to\ 



Towards the end of June I found a dead young Gros- 

 beak, api^arently eight or nine days old, placed on the sill of 

 the window. It had evidently died in the nest and been care- 

 fully taken out and deposited there, for there were no marks 

 of injury whatever, ])ut the body itself was by no jneans 

 fresh 1 



This was a great disai)pointinent to me, but I was 

 greatly relieved to lind that they were still taking their due 

 turns in brooding, so that I felt sure there was at least one 

 live nestling still in the nest. This turned out to be the case. 



The youngster unfoi-tunately is (up to the date of 

 writing) a cripple, apparently rickety in the legs, though 

 otherwise strong and healthy. I believe it to be a male bird 

 —it resembles the female, but the general colour, especially 

 the wings, 'is much darkei-; as also is the brown on the crown 

 of the bead. 



This youngster is now in a cage, as it is unable to 

 perch, but I have hopes that its legs will gain strength later 

 on, for they do not seem to be deformed. 



The female I have already sufficiently described, but 

 ihe male merits a detailed description, especially as it has a 

 summer and winter plumage. 



The full nuptial dress of the adult male is chiedy 

 black on the upper surface, but there are white spots at the 

 tips of the secondaries, etc., and the upper tail coverts and 

 inner webs of three outer -tail feathers are white (when Hy- 

 ing away he has a pied appearance). The under surface 

 is a very bright and pure white, with a large patch of cardinal- 

 rose -red on the foreneck and centre of breast, which colour 

 runs down 'into a point; sides of body, and thighs greyer, and 

 flecked with black; under wing coverts rosy; beak whitish; 

 feet grey -blue; eyes dark hazel. 



I have seen my male go through three bi-annual moults, 

 and his winter plumage is very dingy as compared with that 

 of the spring and summer. 



In August, the rosy -red on the breast all but disappears, 

 being obliterated by brown; the white of the under parts loses 

 its 'brightness and is splashed with brown, as also is the blact 



