OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 381 



closing pouch seems but an improvement super- 

 added to the main structure, its being a sub- 

 sequent operation. This must be apparent to all. 



In the first of these anomalous forms of nests still 

 further improvement is manifested in the closely- 

 woven roof. In open nests, protection is partially 

 secured by the cluster of leaves that depend from 

 above; the site being, doubtless, selected with a 

 view to this natural arrangement. As reason 

 tends to improvement, and birds are possesed of 

 a share of this gift, so it is natural to suppose that 

 they must vary their style of nest-building in 

 favorable directions, when both individual and 

 family good will be best subserved thereby. 



The nest being completed, the female on .the 

 succeeding day begins to deposit her complement 

 of eggs, which at the ordinary rate of one per day, 

 is deposited in four or five days. Incubation fol- 

 lows oviposition on the following day, and con- 

 tinues for 15 days; the labor being exclusively 

 performed by the female, while the male bird is 

 close by ready to defend her and nest, or to pro- 

 vide her with the necessary nourishment. Both 

 parents are devoted and faithful r and courageously 

 defend their young when in peril, and fearlessly 

 exposing and endangering their own lives rather 

 then trust them to the hands of a merciless foe. 

 If the young are captured and incarcerated, the 

 parents if permitted, will follow and continue to 

 feed them. Mr. Ridgway mentions a case where 

 the female entered the nest while he was sever- 



