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Bird- Lore 



position with the feathers ruffled for thirty seconds. The next time she stayed 

 away nine minutes and returned only to inspect from the rear. Intervals of 

 six and seven minutes followed, the bird apparently taking less and less interest 

 in the nest. Realizing this, I became anxious for the safety of the eggs and 

 removed the cloth. In three minutes more she was back in the bush but did 

 not inspect the nest. Ten minutes later, however, she returned apparently to 

 stay, inspected the eggs and began at once to incubate." 



This was very different behavior from that of the Phoebe, which with little ^ 

 more than a glance grasped the situation and acted accordingly. The Cat- 

 bird, on the contrary, was unable to comprehend and did nothing to alleviate. 

 What light this throws on the natures of the two birds. The one, with changing 

 conditions, has been able to adapt itself, the other has remained ever the same. 

 Surely this foreshadows the future. At present both are among our common 

 birds. The Phoebe will become more and more so as he copes with new condi- 

 tions, the Catbird rarer and rarer as time goes on. Today we see the white 

 man's house on every hill; the red man's, we find only on the reservation. 



FLORIDA BOB-WHITES 

 Photographed at Ormond, Florida, by George Shiras, 3d. 



