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Bird - Lore 



A few birds are communistic: they build a common nest in which all the 

 females lay eggs and then share the duties of incubation and rearing the 

 young. This is particularly true of the Anis of tropical and subtropical Amer- 

 ica, though many of the African Weaver Birds and the Palm Chats of Santo 

 Domingo are communistic to the extent of building a common roof beneath 

 which each pair builds its nest. There are slight indications among our colonial- 

 nesting Swallows that they may be leaning toward communism. 



A MALE ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK INCUBATING 



This is one of the few species in which the bright-colored male assists 



in incubation 



After the birds are mated the first thought, of the female at least, is the 

 building of the nest. The male has already selected the general nesting area 

 or territory in which he has been singing and which the female has accepted 

 by accepting him. It is her duty, however, to select the actual site where the 

 nest is to be built and to do most if not all, of the building. With most, if 

 not all, species of Wrens the building of 'dummy nests' by the males is a common 

 practice but is apparently rather part of a courtship performance, for they 

 are never used by the female. The male House Wren, for example, arriving 

 before the female, proceeds to fill every nesting-box and cranny in the vicinity 

 full of sticks and may even build quite well-shaped nests. When the female 



