Vol. XXVII 

 1910 



J McClintock, a Hermit Thrush Study. 411 



minutes. This was undoubtedly much longer than normal and 

 was due to the timidity of the birds, by reason of my blind. The 

 parents were frightened away a number of times when approaching 

 with food, but on the succeeding days were less timid, especially 

 the female. 



Twice on August 2, a parent visited the nest without the inten- 

 tion of feeding, a general inspection apparently being the sole 

 object. On the two occasions on August 2, I thought feeding was 

 accomplished by regurgitation, but at no succeeding time was there 

 any semblance of this method. 



It would have been much better could I have left my blind in 

 position at the nest during my absence. However, to guard 

 against the molestation of the nest, I deemed it advisable to 

 remove the blind each day. 



On August 3, I watched for three hours and twenty-two minutes, 

 beginning at 12: 10 P. M. The first feeding was given in eight min- 

 utes after entering my blind. On this day forty-three feedings 

 were administered, which is an average of four and three quarters 

 minutes between feedings. 



Out of thirteen of these feedings, the parents on four occasions 

 divided food carried at one time between two young, while each of 

 the remaining nine feedings were administered to but a single 

 bird. Not once, either on this or any other day, did I see three 

 young fed at the same time. 



On August 4, I watched from 1 1 : 38 A. M. until 1 : 07 p. m. Dur- 

 ing this period twenty feedings were given, which is an average 

 of once in 4 j minutes. 



Three hours and twenty-five minutes were spent by me, between 

 11 : 50 A. M. and 3 : 15 P. M. on August 5, in my blind. But twenty- 

 eight feedings were administered on this date; which was one 

 feeding in 7j minutes. 



During the first couple of days of my observations, I could 

 only occasionally distinguish between the sexes of the parents. 

 I later observed, however, that the spots on the breast of the male, 

 which I positively distinguished by his singing, were slightly more 

 intense and more sharply defined than on the female. On August 

 5, out of eight feedings, when I was sure of the parents' sex, six 

 were administered bv the male. 



