234 Bird - Lore 



A few birds are communistic: they build a common nest in which all the 

 females lay eggs and then share the duties of incubation and rearing the 

 young. 'I'his is ])articularly true of the Anis of tropical and subtropical Amer- 

 ica, though many of the African Weaver Birds and the Palm Chats of Santo 

 Domingo are communistic to I he extent o{ building a ct>nunon vovi beneath 

 which each pair builds its nest. There are slight indications among our colonial- 

 nesting Swallows that thev niav be leanintr toward comnumisni. 



A MALE ROSE-HREASTED GROSUKAK INlUHATlNC! 



This is one of the lew sptvies in which the bright coloreil male assists 



ill iiuulvalimi 



After the birds are mated the tirsl thought, of the female at least, is the 

 building of the nesi. The male has already selected the general nesting area 

 or territory in which he has been singing and which the female has accepted 

 by accepting him. It is her duty, htnvever, tt^ select the actual site where the 

 nest is to be built and to do most if not all, of the building. With most, if 

 not all, species of Wrens the building of 'ilummy nests' by the nialcs is a ctimmon 

 practice but is apparently rather part of a courtship jHMi'ormance, for they 

 are ne\er used b\- the female. The male House Wren, for example, arriving 

 before the female, proceeds to till every nesting-box and cranny in the vicinity 

 full of sticks and ma>' even build cjuite well-shaped nests. \A'hen the female 



