1890.] Brewster on Robin Roosts. 3^7 



"The numbers of adult males in song, and the lack of females 

 shown whenever I scrutinzed the individual birds on their way to 

 the roost — together with the fact that the Robins hereabouts 

 seemed to be generally engaged at that time in rearing new 

 broods — led me to doubt your theory and to attempt observations 

 that would throw some light on the subject. It happened that 

 on the 2 2d of July there were two Robin's nests on the place, one 

 with three young, well advanced, and one with three eggs (female 

 sitting). I had noticed several times that the male belonging 

 to nest No. 1 carried food to his young late in the afternoon, 

 while the flight to the roost was going on. On the day above- 

 named, therefore, I began watching him closely toward evening, 

 and saw him — after feeding the young — fly straight off for the 

 roost, 1 \ miles away, at 7.30 p.m. You remember I have an un- 

 obstructed view from the house to the north and northwest, so 

 the bird's course could be readily followed till he disappeared 

 over the 'Granite Ledge.' On his departure the female came and 

 took possession of the nest for the night. I saw her brooding 

 the young until it became so dark that I could distinguish noth- 

 ing, even at near range with opera-glasses. On the following 

 evening the male again fed the young at about the same hour, 

 then flew to the top of a spruce tree, and, after singing a good- 

 night to his wife and babies, took a direct flight for the roost. 

 The female then fed the young and settled in the nest. This 

 was all repeated again on the 24th. While this was going on 

 female No. 2 was sitting closely and I saw nothing of her mate, 

 although the young hatched out on or before the 30th. The 

 young in nest No. 1 left it on the 26th. This male has been on 

 the place all summer, and by long familiarity we have come to 

 distinguish him readily by a peculiar high note in his song. On 

 the morning of the 24th I was awake from three to four o'clock, 

 and our model husband and father returned to his family at 3.40 

 (sunrise 4.29), his arrival being announced by his glad call and 

 morning song. On the morning of the 26th (which was cloudy) 

 his salute was not heard from the favorite tree till four o'clock. 

 He was singing pretty freely, even through the day, up to the 

 time the young left the nest. Since then, although the whole 

 family has remained about the nest up to this time, he has been 

 almost silent (at least so far as singing is concerned), like the 

 rest of his tribe at the present time. 



