Notes on the Red-Winged Blackbird 301 



fed on one visit. As far as numbers were concerned the dis- 

 tribution of food to the nestHngs was very equal, A receiving" 

 34.97% of the insects fed, B, 32.51%, and C, 31.51%). It 

 is not so 'easy to estimate the percentage by bulk on account 

 of the varying sizes of the insects fed. 



BEHA\aOR OF THE FEMALE. 



When at the nest she was at all times alert and any slight 

 sound caused her to raise her head and utter the ala-rm note. 

 If the noise were continued she hopped nervously away from 

 the nest but returned as soon as it ceased. Fig. 3 was taken 

 just as she raised her head and gave the alarm note in re- 

 sponse to a low whistle from the blind. If not disturbed she 

 usually critically inspected the nest after feeding. This po- 

 sition is shown in Fig. 4. In the majority of visits she left 

 after this inspection but whenever she saw anything in the 

 nest which needed attention she dived head foremost among 

 the nestlings (Fig". 5) and probed vigorously. Occasionally 

 this probing was so violent as to shake the whole tree and 

 shove the young out of the nest. Once during this process 

 one of the nestlings was lifted up, thrown over the edge of the 

 nest, and would have fallen to the ground had she not seized 

 him by the leg and pulled him back. 



In no instance during the study was the excreta devoured 

 but it was always carried away. 



She had a ste-reotyped method of approaching- and leaving- 

 the nest. To reach it she flew to a small willow on the oppo- 

 site side of the nest tree and then hopped to the nest. In 

 leaving she invariably flew straight toward the blind and 

 swung to the left as soon as she was out of the tree. 



BEHAVIOR OF THE MALE. 



The male was never seen at the nest, but spent his time in 

 the top of a tall willow just behind the blind. While here he 

 often dashed out and snapped up a passing insect in approved 

 flvcatcher manner. He spent much time with his wings 

 shghtlv spread to show the crimson shoulder and singing his 

 " con-qua-ree." The only time he exhibited any interest in 



