58 The Wilson Bulletin — No. 87 



It will be noted that mayflies constituted 62.16 per cent of 

 the total and it is not improbable that most of the sixteen 

 unidentified forms were also mayflies as the blowing about of 

 the reeds prevented our determining the insect fed. This 

 evidence tends to support strongly the statement made in a 

 previous paper* that the food of the nestlings is largely 

 determined by the accident of nest location. 



The surroundings of these nests presented no variety. For 

 a considerable distance about the nest, the conditions of shade, 

 moisture, vegetation, and temperature were the same, and 

 the insect species were of course limited to those forms 

 favored by such conditions. As far as we could discover, 

 mayflies and dragon flies were the only forms commonly 

 found. These were clinging to the stems and leaves of the 

 aquatic plants and the blackbirds secured them from these 

 places. They seldom went far from the nest in their hunting 

 and much of the time we could see them climbing about 

 picking up insects until two or three were captured, when 

 they flew to their nests with them. 



In the sanitation of the nest the same care was found as in 

 other species, the excreta never being allowed to touch the 

 nest. It was taken directly from the young and carried away. 

 It was rarely devoured, being disposed of in this manner 

 only once in the two days. In nest B the three nestlings 

 received about equal shares, being fed nine, eight, and seven 

 times, respectively. The one which received the greatest 

 number of feedings died in the afternoon and was carried 

 away by the female on the last visit at 3 :51 P. M. In nest A 

 the young left the nest during the day and of course no com- 

 parison between their food is possible. 



The method by which the young left the nest was inter- 

 esting. At 5:38 A.M. one of the young clambered to the 

 edge of the nest, seized one of the supporting reeds with each 

 foot and climbed up them a short distance above the nest, 

 advancing each foot alternately. After going about eighteen 

 inches, the bending of the stalks under his weight brought 



*Nest Life of the Catbird. Dumetella caroUnensis. By Ira N. 

 Gabrielson. Wilson Bui., Vol. XXV, Dec, 1913, 



