° 1910 J McClintock, a Herynit Thrush Sludy. 415 



for four minutes. On another day, it was uttered in the presence 

 of the female, who was close by and towards whom it was directed. 



Singi7ig. 



Each day I was at the nest, the male Hermit sang. A particular 

 limb in a dead pine, fifteen feet distant, was the favorite perch 

 for his exquisite performances. The first time I heard him from 

 this limb, I thought it was another bird far back in the woods. 

 With the assistance, however, of a pair of 8-power prism binocu- 

 lars, which brought the Hermit within an apparent distance of 

 about two feet, I could plainly see the feathers of his throat 

 vibrate coincidentally with the singing. There was little if any 

 movement of the mandibles and the notes were muffled or hummed, 

 instead of being poured forth from well opened mandibles in a 

 volume that carries far. I believe this explains the remarkable 

 and well known power as a ventriloquist of the male Hermit, 

 by whom I was deceived, even when looking directly at the singer 

 in a good light and fifteen feet distant. 



The male Hermit sang daily until August 7, when my observa- 

 tions ceased, and it sang during all hours of my presence. These 

 song periods varied from a few seconds to six minutes duration, 

 and this longest period was at noon on August 4. Almost all 

 the singing was, however, so low and soft that it could be heard 

 only at close range. 



Development of Young. 



The little Hermits were 6 or 7 days old on August 2, when I 

 commenced my observations. They then kept their eyes closed 

 almost constantly and seldom moved, except while being fed or 

 during the few seconds imrhediately following feeding, when they 

 would move their bodies, stretch their wings and then settle 

 quietly down. At this age the young seemed occasionally to tire 

 of their customary sitting posture and once on August 2 I saw 

 one young bird rest on its side with one foot in the air, as high as 

 the heads of the other little birds. On this same day, I also noticed 

 one young picking at his half grown pin feathers. Towards evening 



