88 THE STORY OF THE BIRDS. 
while the females usurp all the masculine privileges, 
having it leap year all the time in their circle. 
Other little birds, while unusually devoted in song 
and frivolous attentions, are content to sing only, 
while the wife does the work. Asa rule, the female 
builds the nest among our higher birds, though both 
may work. Frequently the male brings material 
which the female shapes into the structure. 
Down among the polygamous birds, as ostriches, 
fowl forms, etc., there is an occasional fatherly devo- 
tion that is striking. Thus the male ostrich not only 
scoops the sand cup for the eggs, but does half the 
incubating, though he may have in the wild state 
plenty of wives to divide the duty up among, and he 
takes the more dangerous night time as his portion, 
Besides this, as noted, he rears the young exclusively, 
and shows his love of babes to such an extent that he 
will steal them forcibly from his neighbor. 
Our Bobwhite takes the first brood under his care, 
hovering them from storm, and talking baby talk to 
them like a mother, while his mate incubates the sec- 
ond brood. 
But others of the birds of this level are far from 
being “model husbands and fathers.” Our com- 
mon rooster is usually indifferent to the chicks, 
and our turkey cock will ee kill them if 
he can. 
Usually the males of the true grouses—nearly al- 
ways polygamous—desert their wives as soon as they 
go to sitting, and leave them till the family is entirely 
brought up, when they again selfishly join the flock, 
