282 FIELD ZOOLOGY. 



the care of feeding the sitting bird or repairing the nest 

 in case of accident. Among the highest birds within this 

 class, the male in addition to the duties just mentioned 

 defends the female from enemies and seems to try to 

 encourage her in her long task by his songs, his presence, 

 and his manifest attentions beyond those necessary in the 

 way of feeding her. If affection exists among birds, that 

 is, affection in its accepted human meaning, the conduct 

 of birds during the time of home-building and caring for 

 the nestlings, is to be interpreted adequately only on the 

 basis of affection of a degree which is commensurate with 

 the advancement of the bird in the scale of living. Among 

 the highest order of birds we have numerous illustrations 

 of the interestedness of the two members of a bird house- 

 hold in each other. Anyone who has ever had the 

 pleasure of watching a pair of owls, knows that one 

 seldom sees so genuine a display of affection among the 

 human tribe. 



In others of the bird tribe, the female has to take 

 the brunt of the burdens of incubation, the male taking 

 her place only a short time, while she is off feeding. 

 From this, the conditions vary until finally, in such 

 birds as the phalaropes, there is such a division of labor 

 that the care of the eggs and of the young also falls upon 

 the male bird. Truly, the male phalarope seems to be 

 the "new man" among birds; and the female bird is 

 surely the "new woman, " so care-free a life does she lead 

 while her mate is at home busy with home duties ! 



The ostriches, largest of our living birds that have a 

 keeled back bone, share the home duties ; the male assist- 

 ing in covering the eggs in their sand-hollowed nests. 

 The wood duck, handsome fellow that he is, leaves the 

 incubation and the care of the young to his mate. It is 



