FIN LEY J A ROBIN'S NEST 16.> 



ized her first reaction to our intrusions. In the general views 

 the camera was manipulated by a large bulb to which was at- 

 tached forty feet of special tubing. The photographs, showing 

 the daily growth, were taken with the camera attached to the 

 main trunk of the tree some three feet directly above the nest. 

 In these instances a special apparatus devised by Dr. R. ^I. Strong, 

 of the zoology department, of the University of Chicago, was 

 used. This device consists of a semi-circular piece of sheet steel 

 with a long straight flange at each end by which it may be 

 strapped in any desired position to a limb or branch. The camera 

 is attached to the center of the apparatus by means of a ball- 

 and-socket joint which permits it to he pointed in any direction. 



The work was started with the definite aim of (Figs. 3-14) 

 obtaining daily photographs of the young from the day of hatch- 

 ing of the first egg to the time when the last bird had left the 

 nest, and such views of the various nest activities of the adults 

 as opportunity might permit. Although in direct contact with 

 the elementary science work in the fourth grade of the Elemen- 

 tary School of the School of Education, University of Chicago, 

 the writer had at first no intention to use the nest in connection 

 with that work. The day after the first bird had made its ap- 

 pearance some of the children overheard a conversation in which 

 this fact was mentioned. After dismissal that evening two boys 

 were waiting at the entrance of the building with the request 

 that they be permitted to go along to see the "baby robin.' They 

 were warned of the distance but the prospect of a four-mile 

 walk seemed to add impetus to the demand. Their exploit and 

 appreciation of the trip must have been well advertised, for on 

 the next day there were so many applicants for the privilege 

 that some of the pupils were asked to wait till a later trip. From 

 that time on there was no necessity of making the trip alone. 

 One afternoon there was a drizzling rain, but three boys made 

 the long walk in order to see how the little birds were getting 

 along and how much they had grown since last thev had seen 

 them. The nest and young became the property of the whole 

 grade and the pupils making the trip would on the next dav have 

 to tell the rest, how the little birds were progressing. 



As was said above, little time was given to a study of the 

 feeding habits of the birds. It was learned (Fig. lo). however, 

 that so far as this pair of robuis were concerned the female did 

 most of the sitting on the nest and the male did most of the feed- 

 ing of the young. The young hatched in the following order : Mav 

 22, one, two on the following dav. and one the next. The male 



