56 Allen, Nesting of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak. [j^n. 



two inches internally. It was composed of slender twigs of vari- 

 ous kinds, the exterior largely dead hemlock twigs, which from 

 their roughness held together well and kept the structure intact. 

 The lining was of finer twigs, largely spiraea from the garden. The 

 nest was set in a crotch near the top of the pear tree and about 

 seventeen and one half feet from the ground. 



Stimmary. 



Summarizing these observations, we find that the female bird 

 built the nest, apparently without help from her mate; that the 

 male assisted in incubation and habitually sang while on the nest, 

 the song seeming to be sometimes, if not always, a signal to the 

 female that he was ready to be relieved; that the male appeared 

 to take no part in the feeding of the young; that the female had a 

 special note which she uttered when about the nest and sometimes, 

 apparently, as a signal that she was ready to be relieved from her 

 duties, — a note that was rarely uttered by the male; that the 

 young, as is the case with most birds, had a peculiar note of their 

 own, a food-call, which changed as they developed; and, finally, 

 that young Rose-breasted Grosbeaks should be banded not later 

 than a week after hatching if the risk of frightening them out of 

 'the nest is to be avoided. 



