Illustrations of the Method 47 



clamoring young. Again she was off and back three times in 

 rapid succession. Three minutes later she was brooding, and 

 remained on the nest thirteen minutes. Leaving it again, she 

 examined the tent anew, then brooded ten minutes more. A 

 little later the young were fed and the nest cleaned with great 

 care. 



The male was more cautious and did not actually feed his 

 young until twenty-seven minutes after eleven. His fears were 

 then dispelled and life at the nest went on without interruption 

 At about noon the old birds were using the tent as a half-way 

 house, alighting on its peak and guys, and foraging about it for 

 food. In the space of four hours on the first day, during which 

 the birds were watched at a distance of about twenty-seven 

 inches, fifty -four visits were made and the young were fed forty 

 times. The female brooded her young over an hour, fed them 

 twenty-nine times, and cleaned the nest thirteen times. The 

 male made eleven visits, attending to sanitary matters but 

 twice. This example illustrates as well as any which could be 

 given the advantage which attends the use of the observation 

 tent. 



On the following day, July nth, the female was at the nest 

 and brooding her young in five minutes after the tent was in 

 position. Presently she left to hunt for insects, alighted on the 

 tent, and five minutes later was feeding her young and cleaning 

 the nest. In the course of nearly three and one half hours, 

 fifty-five visits were made and the young were fed collectively 

 or singly forty-three times. At about half-past eleven o'clock 

 one of the fledglings left the nest and was fed by the old birds 

 in the surrounding bushes of the swamp. The female brought 

 food thirty-two times, cleaned the nest eight times, and brooded 

 eighteen times for intervals varying from thirty seconds to 

 eighteen minutes. This bird cut a queer figure while standing 

 or sitting in the sun, with wings spread and bristling like a 

 turkey-cock with every feather erect, and with mouth agape, 

 trying to keep cool while shielding her family from the heat. 

 Her breathings were at the rate of 150 to 160 times a minute. 

 The male bird served food eleven times and attended to sanitary 



