\..i X K x 



i.,i'. I'.i ie. m.i i,, I Study "i the liouH Finch 



57 



,-i railed to hatch when othei , m the iame n< I wer< iucc< , [fully 

 incubated All <;■•/ which failed to hatch were examined to de- 

 termine 1 1 any development had occurred, and wh< n any les it trace 

 ■.- .1 found, n'li egg \\:>- nol counted as infertile. The infertility 

 varied con idcrably from year to year as the following table will 



.show : 



Table No. 2. 



The male feeds the young for ;• considerable period after they 

 1 1 ,-i e the nest, of ten so long that he will also be feeding al the -mi 1 ' 

 tinn 1 1 1 < young of a econd brood The female is most devoted to 

 her ne t, leaving ii with extreme reluctance, and returning as soon 

 as ;in alarming disturbance ceases. The nest is kepi under do e 

 surveillance, and ;• female may even show signs of anxiety if an 

 empty nesl (after ili<- young have flown) be examined The incu 

 bating bird will stay on a nesl under very distre ling condition , 

 / i , during ;i severe now storm; and on one occa lion ;i femalt 

 noticed brooding ;> nest full of young which had frozen during the 

 previous night 



I BATHERS. 



The feather development :i n< I growth occur with amazing rapid 

 ii.y, even twenty-four hours making surprising changes, especially 

 during the firs! few days after hatching. The appearance and 

 growth of the various feather trad differ, apparently, in differ 

 cm broods and individual I 1 is approximately as folio 

 the young up to the fourth day seem naked, bu1 are real); partly 

 co i red b ■• minute down which appears in streak i, there being four 

 lines on the head, i e , one along the skull in the long a i lof the body, 

 one •>' < r < acfa i e, and one over the occiput, tran ■ « r < to i In- long 



