NESTING HABITS OF HERMIT THRUSH 5 



wind disarranged the blind and while it was being repaired 

 and readjusted on the morning of the 27th the female remained 

 on the nest apparently little excited by the procedure. 



The female remained constantly on duty until 6:00 p. m. on 

 Julj^ 30 when she was flushed, and four nestlings, not more than 

 twent3'-four hours old, were disclosed. The fifth egg proved to 

 be addled but remained in the nest during the entire subsequent 

 brooding period. 



BROODING 

 So far as our observations are concerned all the brooding was 

 done by the female. When the young were first hatched the fe- 

 male seldom left them for long intervals, but toward the close 

 of our period of observation the time spent by the adult on or 

 at the nest was much reduced. However, it seemed that both 

 parents were near and ready to swoop down to recover a voided 

 excreta sac. 



During the first part of the brooding the female would often 

 rise slightly in the nest and look down at the youngsters 

 solicitously. This occurred oftener on warm daj's and was 

 probably for the purpose of gi^dng the nestlings air. Some- 

 times when in this attitude the female would peck none too 

 gently the heads and eyelids of the nestlings. 



At times, while brooding, the female reached down into the 

 bottom of the nest with her bill and shaking her head rapidly 

 up and down or from side to side appeared to be loosening the 

 packed-down materials. As the young grew larger the female 

 did not sit on them but hovered over them, clinging with her 

 feet to the sides of the nest. During the last two days of our 

 observations she remained on its edge seldom attempting to 

 brood the nestlings. In brooding the female always rested with 

 her head toward the blind. 



The male was much more nervous and noisy in his actions 

 than the female. Although he took no part in the brooding he 

 was particularly active in securing food for the young birds. 

 Usually he left almost immediately after delivering the food, 

 often touching the blind with the tips of his wings in his hasty 

 departure. 



