Home Life of the Brown Thrasher. 89 



In Table IV it will be seen that, up to the time Green left 

 the nest, the nestlings had received insects as follows : Green 

 243, Orange 200, White 246, and Blue 189. When one con- 

 siders that this distribution extended over parts, of three days, 

 it will be seen that the parents did well in dividing it up so 

 evenly. The total amount distriubted was 978 insects, or an 

 average of 219 to each young bird. Green and White received 

 slightly over the average, and Orange slightly less. Blue was 

 30 below the average, but as already stated, he was neither 

 as active nor as large as the others, and possibly this may 

 have had something to do with the result. 



Nothing definite was determined, nor could it be expected 

 in so short a series of observations, as to the method of ap- 

 portioning the food. A number of throats were sometimes 

 tried before the food was finally given to one of the young, 

 but usually this could be attributed to the insect, or insects, 

 being so large they could not be swallowed. When this hap- 

 pened the parent bird would take the insect to some conven- 

 ient perch and pound it up till it was small enough for the 

 young to swallow. Sometimes it seemed as if chance deter- 

 mined which individual would receive the morsel, and at other 

 times it looked as if there Avere other factors. There seemed 

 to be a tendency to feed the one nearest the parent bird, and, 

 as the old birds almost invariably approached the nest from 

 the south, it would follow that the nestling on that side would 

 get the most food. However that may be, the young were 

 constantly trying to get to that side of the nest. One would 

 no sooner get into place on that side than another would 

 crowd him out. This was not always the case, for at times 

 the parents would reach over and feed those on the farther 

 side. Again it seemed as if the nestling that made the great- 

 est disturbance received the food. The old birds, the first 

 day or two, of observation, on approaching the nest and find- 

 ing that the young made no response, would utter a quick 

 " kek " and every head would instantly come up. After a 

 day or two this was not necessary, as the mouths would all 

 be open, before the parents reached the nest. 



