BLUE OR METALLIC BLUE 497 
But if not so fine a singer, the Blue Grosbeak is a 
much better nest-builder than any other member of his 
family. And this work is well worth patient watching. 
After much consulting together, the pair agree upon a 
site, and the foundation of heavy grasses and weed stalks 
are scratched into place. <A pair that I watched, after 
trying one crotch, deliberately selected another, and re- 
moved the material to the new site. Nor could I find 
out what influenced the choice, unless there was some- 
thing in the shape that was not quite comfortable to the 
little mother. Both male and female carried material, 
and moulded it into form by turning about in it and 
tucking the unruly ends in with their bills. At the end 
of the fifth day the compact, rather deep affair, lined 
with plant fibre and fine grasses, was ready for use ; and 
on the seventh day it contained one egg. An egg was 
laid each day until there were four; then incubation 
began. 
The Blue-headed Grosbeak is a model father. Day 
after day found him on the nest. By some mysterious 
signal he knew when Madam was ready to leave, and 
never failed to appear just as she flew off, though my 
dull ears caught no signal between them. Then, paus- 
ing a moment on the edge of the nest, he would survey 
the treasures with a comical air of wisdom. Having sat- 
isfied himself that all was as it should be, he settled 
down, rather awkwardly, but with less fuss than the 
female ever could succeed in doing. 
After fourteen days of waiting, four wriggling, naked 
nestlings filled the cradle and ate as surely no other 
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