I08 JOUKNAI, Ol'^ MAIN1<: ORNITHOLOGICAL .SOCIKTY. 



the little lieads sprang up once more for another trial. This tinie 

 the mother bird took charge of the troublesome meal, relieving the 

 father bird, who flew away to regale himself. At last, one of the 

 nestlings, with the aid of sundry parental pokes managed to force 

 the caterpillar down its throat, and no doubt dozed as contentedly 

 as a full-fed baby. 



On the second day the wind lashed the trees furiously. I 

 trembled for the safety of the young Bay-breasts. As I reached the 

 level of the nest, the male flew away. He had been feeding his 

 mate on the nest. 



On the third day the feather tracts of the nestlings began to 

 look like dark reddish-brown leather. 



On the fourth day the parent birds became a bit more cautious 

 when they discovered me in the tree ; they entered the nest by a 

 circuitous route, coming up through the thick foliage from the 

 branch below instead of walking out the branch as heretofore. In 

 the afternoon the female w^as on the nest, the heads of the five young 

 peeping up in front of her breast. The sun was blazing down on 

 that side of the tree. It was so hot, the mother and young had 

 their mouths open as if panting for breath. The body of the mother 

 bird shaded the nestlings. 



The fifth day the female flew around me once or twice, utter- 

 ing the single scolding note, chcc, each time. It was the first time 

 either bird had attempted to scold. She seemed much more dis- 

 turbed by my presence than the male. 



On the sixth day the young were mature looking, but still 

 showed the quills on the wing feathers. 



Up to this time the diet of the nestlings had consisted mainly of 

 caterpillars and a few moths. To-day a large, black beetle was 

 added to the bill of fare. 



The ninth day the nestlings were tones of brown, the head a 

 trifle lighter than the body ; the body spotted with black ; the wnngs 

 brownish with buffy wing-bars ; the under parts buffy with dark- 

 brown stripes. 



For the first time, the young Bay-breasts made themselves tidy 



