Brewer's Blackbirds 



her bill while catching others, and at the same 

 time continue to scold. At last, late in the 

 afternoon, she made one hasty visit to the nest 

 and disposed of her accumulated supplies. In 

 removing the excreta, the male was once or 

 twice observed to light on a distant perch, 

 there drop his burden, and carefully wipe his 

 beak. 



I made these birds another call the following 

 morning, and by noon both were sufficiently 

 accustomed to the camera to come and go with 

 little hesitation. They seemed to find an 

 abundance of food down by the creek, but 

 often searched for grubs and insects in the 

 sagebrush near by, and also made an occa- 

 sional long trip over the hills. The food se- 

 cured in different places no doubt met the need 

 of a varied diet. The male was the really 

 industrious one of the two, probably because 

 my presence disturbed him less. Sailing down 

 to the creek on gracefully curved pinions, he 



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