54 BEHAVIOR OF PIGEONS. 



quite so close; the egg was left uncovered once or twice when both birds went to feed 

 together. (R 33.) 



In various records it is noted that the female bronze-wing stood over the first 

 egg until the second was laid, and that she did not really sit. The female of a 

 crested X blond ring pair also "stood" over the egg the first night. A female 

 geopelia left the nest at 4 h 15 m p. m. and roosted on the perch beside the male the 

 night before the second egg was laid. No record was given for the first night. In 

 another cycle this same female roosted on the perch during the first night. The 

 female of a second crested X blond ring pair "stood" over the first egg until the 

 second egg was laid. A bronze-wing male began incubation on the second day of 

 one cycle and on the third day of another. A male white ring sat on the egg the 

 first night it was laid. A male crested pigeon began incubation on the second 

 day, a male geopelia on the third day, and another male crested on the third day 

 after the second egg was laid. 



Since the second egg may be laid as late as 10 a. m. on the third day of the incu- 

 bation period, it is possible that the male's participation in incubation may inter- 

 fere with this function. Sometimes the male does not begin to participate until 

 after this event. This means no relief for the female during the second day and 

 a postponement of the first relief on the third day several hours later than the 

 normal time. This was true for two of the pairs (bronze-wing and crested) men- 

 tioned above. In the first and third cycles of a pair of bronze-wings the male 

 participated in the incubation regularly on the second day. On the third day he 

 relieved the female for some time during the early morning, but the female had 

 the nest at the usual time for the dropping of the second egg. Two cases are also 

 recorded in which the male's tendency to relieve interfered with the female's duties. 

 In the bronze-wing's fourth cycle the male relieved early in the morning. At the 

 time for laying, the male attempted to sit and made some trouble, but the female 

 refused to resign until after the egg was laid. In the second cycle of a crested X 

 blond ring pair the first egg was laid at the usual time and the male participated 

 regularly in the incubation on the second day. On the third day, the date of lay- 

 ing of the second egg, the male relieved at 6 h 40 m , 8 h 10 m , and 8 h 59 m . At 9 h 10 m 

 the female crowded into the nest and forced the male off. The male relieved 

 again, and the female returned at 9 h 17 m , but the male refused to leave. The female 

 returned at 9 h 19 m , crowding herself on while the male yielded reluctantly. At 

 9 h 25 m the male was sitting beside the female and trying to take the nest, but the 

 female refused to resign and laid at 9 h 48 m a. m. The male was back at the nest at 

 9 h 55 m , but the female did not resign for several minutes. The author notes that 

 "this male's instinct is not attuned to the needs of the female in laying the second 

 egg. I had to keep the male away from the nest, as he insisted on taking possession 

 several times just as the female was about to lay." 



TYPICAL INCUBATION RECORDS. 



The various excerpts and the data on incubation have been taken from the 

 detailed daily records. As illustrative of the nature and detail of these observations, 

 the two following daily records are given as typical. 



