70 



BSRGTOLD, .1 Study of the House Finch. 



I Aulv 

 LJan. 



1 9 Left tarsus ami fool crippled and drawn up. 



1 o 1 Right foot permanently doubled up. 



1 cf Left leg paralysed. 



1 9 With crooked leg, 



1 c? Right tarsus bent. 



Every one of those aforesaid birds was well nourished, ami 

 seemingly quite able to can- for itself. Those with but one leg 

 were a little awkward in perching on the drinking dish, or food tray, 

 as wore also those with markedly deformed Iocs or feet. One with 

 but one halt* a tarsus on one sido used it as a Stump, and did so with 

 ease and agility. It is rather difficult to explain these mutila- 

 tions; the most reasonable explanation being that the missing 

 members were lost by being frozen. In extremely cold weather 

 this species does suffer from cold feet, and it has frequently been 

 soon standing on one foot while warming the other drawn up in 

 its feathers. These crippled birds prove that considerable mutila- 

 tion may occurwith a wild House Fineh, without soon eliminating 



it in the struggle for existence. 



MORTAl ITT. 



The following tabulation shows the ultimate fate of all the eggs 

 laid in the nests under observation: 



I'mu.k No. 5. 



