60 BBRQTOU), .1 SI utlii of the HoUSt Finch. \j^ 



Not infrequently a very small nestling (t. r. 24 hours ohP has 

 been found uninjured outside the nest proper, it is possible that 

 the eld bird in trying to remove egg shells may have pulled the 

 little bird out of the nest. 



The old birds remove the fecal sacs as tney are voided by the 

 young after each feeding, up to the fifth day, the nest remaining 

 perfectly clean during all these days. Prom this time on the nest 

 edge becomes progressively more and more encrusted with the 

 fecal sacs which are voided by the nestlings over or on the m-st 

 edge. If the nestling be taken from the nest and (cA by hand, an 

 excremental sac is voided at once after the food is swallowed, the 

 bird backing as though going to the uest edge, the action impressing 

 one as being due to an irresistible impulse, (hie can see at once, 



from the soiled edge o( a uest. if it has sheltered a successfully 

 raised brood. On Several Occasions one of a brood has died iu the 

 uest. and afterward disappeared. It is assumed by the writer that 

 the old birds have thrown out the dead one, but he has never been 



able to verify this assumption; on the other hand, dead nestlings 



have been found mummified in a m-st in which the others o( the 



brood have gone to full development. 



The nestling is able to hold up its head and open its mouth as 

 soon as it is free from the egg and dry. It can squirm about with 



considerable force within two hours after hatching, and when two 



daj s old w ill crawl feebly about and try to place its head well up on 



tin- nest edge. When eight days old. the young ones aa- attentive, 



vigorous and alert, but not yet timid, and if the nest be taken down 

 for examination the little birds will squeak and open their mouths 

 to be fed. If lifted from the m-st at this period, they cling most 

 tenaciously to it with the feet, and when put in the seale pan to be 

 weighed, they are \ er\ active and erawl about in a lively manner. 



At this time. too. they arrange themselves very definitely in the 

 nest, each seemingly having its place, and eaeh tries at onee, if 

 disturbed, to get to its place and rest its bill on the uest rim. On 



tin- tenth day, they seem ' conscious ' oi their surroundings, appear 

 to be 'studying' the uest. and each other, and have acquired a 

 noticeable degree of timidity. From this time until the nest is 



deserted, they move about in it. mounting to the edge where they 

 frequently Stand and energetically use the wings in a fanning man- 



