The Rose-Breasted Grosbeak 



359 



shaded the nest the brooding- ceased. The male took no part 

 in the work, and only once or twice did he show any evidence 

 of possessing- this instinct. On these occasions he straddled 

 the nest awkwardly with his body drawn into a bunch. His 

 position afforded no protection to the nestlings and was never 

 maintained long enough to be accurately timed. 



METHOD OF FEEDING. 



It has been stated that the Black-headed Grosbeak (Zame- 

 lodia melanocephala) feeds its young by regurgitation * ani 



Rose-breasted Grosbeak. 

 Fig. I. — 9 Brooding. 



one would naturally expect that ludoviciana would do the 

 same. We watched these birds carefully from a distance of 

 three to five feet for a period of nearly sixty hours and did 

 not see a single feeding that was clearly regurgitative. 



Both the male and female took part in the feeding of the 

 nestlings and their actions were exactly alike. On account 

 of the large size of the beak the feeding act differed some- 

 what from that observed in other passerine birds. In other 



* Food Habits of the Grosbeaks. McAtee. Bui. 32. Biological 

 Survey. Pp. 75. 



