THE PAIRING OF PIGEONS. 33 



The second pair of blond ring females was known as "pair E" and their behavior was 

 described as follows: This pair of blond rings has behaved in a remarkable way in prepar- 

 ation for egg-laying. On Feb. 2 the female began to remain over-night on the nest. I 

 expected she would lay, but she kept on sitting on the nest for four nights and for much 

 of each day. Her wings did not droop at any time as they usually do when eggs are about 

 to be laid. 



A very remarkable change was made on Feb. 8, for the male took the nest for the night 

 and the female took the perch perfectly contented. The male remained on the nest as 

 if to the manner born. It is certainly very strange, this sitting on an empty nest so long, 

 and then the male usurping the functions of the female in night-work. 



On the following morning the male came off the nest quite early, at about 7 o'clock or 

 a little before, and the female went on soon after. At 8 h 30 m I found the male on the nest 

 again, and apparently acting just as if he was in charge of the eggs. At 9 h 10 m he came 

 off, and the female went on soon after. They thus continued to exchange with each other 

 during the day. At night, at about 5 o'clock, I saw the male go to the nest, and saw the 

 female retire to her perch without making any objection. They continued this, he sitting 

 at night, and both during the day. On the night of Feb. 12, both sat on the nest during 

 the early evening, but the female took her place on the perch at 8 h 45 m . Both sat on the 

 nest during the nights of the 14th, 15th, and 16th. 



On Feb. 23, these birds were still sitting on the empty nest, regularly exchanging 

 during the day and both sitting at night. But I now notice that both are at times less de- 

 voted to the nest, i.e., they come off occasionally to eat, and do not hasten back with the 

 usual anxiety; still, I have not noticed any long stay away from the nest. The same 

 conduct occurred on the two following days. 



During the night of Feb. 25 and 26, both birds sat on the nest as usual, but both came 

 off in the morning, and remained off. They have bestowed the usual attentions on each 

 other preparatory to nesting. They have shown some desire to fly from the cage, but have 

 not shown any long-continued restlessness. They have now evidently finished up the 

 course of sitting without ever having produced an egg, paying the same constant 

 attention to an empty nest that they would have given to eggs. Evidently the instinct 

 to sit does not depend upon the presence or production of eggs, but runs its course and 

 comes to an end without any stimulus from 'without. The sexual passion rises and the 

 work of making a new nest begins. The period of incubation, if we can so call it, may be 

 said to have begun on Feb. 8, and to have continued until this date (Feb. 26) or 2 weeks 

 and 4 days. But I am mistaken in thinking the nest to be fully abandoned. I now find 

 both birds on the nest at night as usual. 



On Feb. 27 both are off the nest and very restless, trying to get out of the cage. 

 At night I find both have left the nest and gone to the opposite side of the cage to perch 

 in the old place where they used to roost before making a nest. We can now be sure that 

 the nest is finally abandoned and will not be occupied again unless for a second round of 

 incubation. The period of incubation would thus be 2 weeks and 5 days in this case, the 

 last day being a broken and desultory one. 



On Feb. 28 these birds were very restless in the morning; both tried to get out of the 

 cage and were evidently intent on finding a place for the nest. On the next day they de- 

 voted some time to a box opposite to the old nest which contained no straw. On the day 

 following I covered the box so that they could not get into it. They tried it, and failing, 

 were extremely restless and desirous of getting out of the cage. They stood before the 

 door and kept flying up as if wishing to have the door opened. 



After trying first the covered box, and then to get into my room, this pair went, on 

 Mar. 3, to the old nest and soon settled down there as a last resort. It is remarkable how 

 strong the instinct is to place the new nest in a new locality. The white rings (St. alba) 



