146 HABITS OF BIRDS. 



duced nearly an equal number of both sexes ; and 

 yet, if either the male or the female be killed be- 

 fore breeding, the remaining bird usually finds a 

 second mate. The male of the migrative species 

 Mantagu thinks never quits the place he first resorts 

 to, but attracts the females by his song ; and hence, 

 he conceives, it is probable that such females as 

 have not at first'paired, or lost their mates by acci- 

 dent, continually wander about in search of another. 



We have a similar instance to those mentioned by 

 Montagu recorded by Professor Kalm. " A couple 

 of swallows," he says, "built their nest in a sta- 

 ble, and the female laid eggs in the nest, and was 

 about to brood them. Some days afterward the 

 people saw the female still sitting on the eggs ; but 

 the male, flying about the nest, and sometimes set- 

 tling on a nail, was heard to utter a very plaintive 

 note, which betrayed his uneasiness. On a nearer 

 examination, the female was found dead in the nest ; 

 and the people flung her body away. The male 

 then went to sit upon the eggs; but, after being 

 about two hours on them, and perhaps finding the 

 business too troublesome, he went out, and return- 

 ed in the afternoon with another female, which sat 

 upon the nest, and afterward fed the young ones 

 till they were able to provide for themselves. 



That it is not the male alone, however, which is 

 thus able to procure a second mate, appears from 

 the remarks of White. " Among the monogamous 

 birds," he says, " several are to be found, after 

 pairing time, single, and of each sex ;'but whether 

 this state of celibacy is matter of choice or neces- 

 sity is not so easily discoverable. When the house- 

 sparrows deprive my martins of their nests, as soon 

 as I cause one to be shot, the other, be it male or 

 female, presently procures a mate, and so for sev- 

 eral times following. I have known a dovehouse 

 infested by a pair of white owls, which made great 

 havoc among young pigeons. One of the owls 



