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the bird no harm. The first bird hatched had its right thigh and 

 side colored rod. one or two applications sufficing for the whole 

 period of nest life: the second bird had its left thigh and side stained 

 bluo. the third its right thigh and side stained ml. ami its loft 

 thigh and side blue, and so on. 



Combinations of parts and colors numerous enough to identify 

 several birds will readily suggest themselves to the reader. The 

 plan worked admirably, and made it possible for the writer to follow 

 ■ young bird's career from its 'hatching 1 until some time after it 

 loft the nest. In determining the weight oi egg or bird, it was 

 placed in the pan of an accurate balance, and the weight recorded 

 in grains (avoirdupois). Grain weights were used, not through 

 choice, but because they are most familiar to English readers, and 

 most easily carried in mind by them. We have already soon that 

 the average lit is 36 mains, and that the extremes were 



.-.ml 10 respectively. It then became necessary to secure 

 .hts of adult males ami females for purposes of comparison: 

 the only ways to learn these weights were, either to catch parent 

 birds which were nesting about the house, obviously interfering 

 with the study of the young in the nest, or to kill old birds 

 known not to belong to a ho\ nost; and the writer was unwill- 

 ing to employ either of these moans. Fortunately, however, an 

 adult female, known not to belong to a box nost was caught 



dent, an*l was found to weigh 289 grains, which is the only 

 datum in the writor*s possession to use as an adult normal. ( 

 young bird, able to fly well, was caught on the premises, and. 

 on examination, proved not to have come from any of the study 

 nests. It weighed 259 grains. Before it was liberated, its breast 

 was marked with bright rod. through which characteristic it 



,\1. It lingered about the premises 

 three wo* j 

 Two nests of young House Pinches, sets cgs hatching 



almost simultaneously, were selected and studios as to the initial, 

 the daily gain in. and the final r aestlinf 



lowing table gi> es the data thus obtained, together with the meteor* 

 renditions prevailing during the per 



