2^,6 



THE W ESTKRN ('.( )LDRN-CR( )\VXED^KIN(iUET. 



color l"n«iii piiiT wliitf tu simliil wliid- aixl iliisky l)ri>\vii. In the la>l Iwu cases 

 the tint iiiav he due tn a |inifiisiun uf fine hrowii dots, <>r to advancement in 

 incnbatinii, the shell heiny so thin that the pmjjressive stages uf the chick's 

 development are dimly shadowed thru it. 



The female Kinglet is a close sitter anil will not often leave the nest until 

 the containing hranch is sharply tapped. Then, invariahly, .she drops down a 

 couple of feet and llits shar|)ly sidewisc, with manifest intent l<j deceive the 

 lagganl eve. \'et almost immeiliately she is minded to return, and will <lo S4) 

 if there is no furtlier demonstration of hostilities. Re-covering the eggs is n<)t 

 alwavs an easy matter, for the well is deep and the mouth narrow. One dame 

 lighted on the brim of her nest and howed and scrai)ed and slami)ed, precisely 

 as a carefullv ilisciplincd husband will when he brings mmldy l)oots to the 

 kitchen door. The operation was evidently (juite unconnected with hesitation 

 in view of my presence, but in some way was preparatory to her sinking 

 carefullv into the feather-line<l pit before her. When she lirst covered the 

 eggs. also, there was a great fuss made in settling, as iho to free her feathers 

 from the engaging edges of the nest. When the bird is well down upon her 

 eggs there is nothing visible but the toj) of her head an<l the tip of her tail. 

 The male bird, meanwhile, is not inditi'erent. I'^irst he bustles up onto 

 the nesting brinuli and flashes his fiery crest in ])lain token of anger, but 



later he is content 

 to s(|ueak disapprov- 

 al from a position 

 more rcmovecl. 



While the mother 

 bird is sitting, the 

 male tends her faith- 

 fully, but he spends 

 his spare moments, 

 according to Mr. 

 I'lowles. in construct- 

 ing "cock nests," or 

 decoys, in the neigh- 

 boring trees. These 

 seem to serve no pur- 

 pose beyond that of 

 a nervous relief to 

 the impatient father, .uid arc seldom as carefully constructed as the veritable 

 domus. 



When the young of the lirst brood are hatched and ready to fly, the 

 chief care of them falls to the father, while the female prcjiarcs for a second 

 nesting. As to the further domestic relations one cannot s|>eak with certainty. 



NIO ■ MD ■ NODDING. 



Taken near Tacoma. 

 I'holo t> Ihe AHlhori. 



