REDSTART'S CONDUCT EXPLAINED 105 



worm dangling from his beak, or small wings 

 sticking out each side, suggestive of dainties 

 within. 



He was awkward in getting to the family, 

 looking this side and that before he saw just 

 how to reach them, and sometimes going in 

 from the back, which the mother never did. 



The parulas never concerned themselves 

 about birds who alighted on their tree, 

 all the feathered neighborhood were welcome 

 to use it as a perch. 



I could not rest until I had settled the 

 question of the redstart's extraordinary con- 

 duct. I instituted a close search in the sur- 

 rounding trees, and I found, directly behind 

 the one I had been watching, another tree 

 with a nest, about which a female redstart 

 scrambled and rushed redstart fashion. 

 That explained and excused the behavior of 

 her mate. He could not keep in sight of me 

 from his own tree, so he established his 

 watch-tower on the next one. 



Nine days after the discovery of the pa- 

 rula quarters, and six or perhaps eight 

 after feeding began, the little family took 

 flight one morning before I arrived on the 



