140 THE MALE RUBY-THROAT. 
the male hummer help the female feed the 
young?’ I am quite sure I should have an- 
swered, ‘Of course he does.’ As the case 
now stands, however, I am inclined to be- 
lieve him a depraved wretch.” 
Up to this point the testimony of my cor- 
respondents had been unanimous, but the 
unanimity was broken by Dr. C. Hart Mer- 
riam, who remembers that on one occasion 
his attention was called to a nest Gt proved 
to contain a set of fresh eggs) by the flying 
of both its owners about his head; and by 
Mr. W. A. Jeffries, who in one case saw 
the father bird in the vicinity of a nest oc- 
cupied by young ones, although he did not 
see him feed or visit them. This nest, Mr. 
Jeffries says, was one of five which he has 
found. In the four other instances no male 
birds were observed, notwithstanding three 
of the nests were taken, — a tragedy which 
might be expected to bring the father of the 
family upon the scene, if he were anywhere 
within call. 
In view of the foregoing evidence, it ap- 
pears to me reasonably certain that the male 
ruby-throat, as a rule, takes no considerable 
part in the care of eggs and young. The 
