OF EASTERN PENN^VLVA^lA. 1'>< 



Incubation immediately succeeds, and continues for a period 

 of eleven days. The labor is performed by the female who 

 sits with unwearied patience, only venturing from the nest 

 for brief periods in quest of food. The male, we have been 

 informed, occasionally relieves her, but this has not fallen 

 under our observation. Hie young are objects of more than 

 wonted parental solicitude. They are able to leave 

 the nest in about twelve days after hatching, when they 

 climb to the top of the chimney, and there receive their food. 

 This always happens a few days before their wings are 

 sufficiently developed for flight. Even when quite young, 

 in case of accident to the nest, they are able to work their 

 way to the top of the chimney. It sometimes happens that 

 they are thrown beyond the reach or notice of their parents. 

 On these occasions, they utterly refuse food from the hands of 

 human beings, although uttering the most pitiful cries of 

 hunger. When placed upon the roof contiguous to their 

 native chimney, Dr. Brewer has known them to climb to 

 its base, and there receive parental attention. In less .than 

 a fortnight after leaving the nest, they are able to feed and 

 take care of themselves. As the species is double-brooded 

 in this latitude, the young are necessarily forced to self- 

 maintenance at an early period, as parental attention is en- 

 grossed with preparations for the second brood. These ar- 

 rangements are completed about the middle of June. 



The young are fed upon caterpillars, diptera, and, also, 

 upon various species of lepidoptera and coleoptera. The 

 larvae of Zerene catenaria, Anisopteryx vernata* Hyber- 

 nia tiliaria, Anisota rnbicnnda, Eudry as grata, and oth- 

 ers, among lepidoptera ; with the dipterous insects of .l///s- 

 ca domestica. Tab anus lineola, Syrphnsobliijuus. and Cit- 

 Icx t&niorhynchuS) are favorite articles of diet. As the 

 birds grow, they are fed upon the imagosof Penthina poni- 

 oncUa, Gortvua zca. Orgy a lencostigma* LitJiosia mini- 

 ata, Utctheisa bell a, and many of the Noctnidic and /,r- 

 * among lepidoptera ; and ^lacrodactvla subspinosa, 



