BIRDS OF THE UNITED STATES. 
155 
work of one sex as the other. While thus occupied, the birds are jealous of 
their property, and resent all intrusions with a valor worthy of admiration. 
This is especially the case when their home is visited by the Cowbird. 
So determined and fierce are the attacks which they wage against these 
birds, that in the melee which ensues, their fragile home is often entirely 
destroyed. In Cooke County, Texas, where this Gnatcatcher is abundant, 
fully half the nests that have been found by Mr. Ragsdale, the narrator 
of this fact, are despoiled before completion, and, in many instances, com- 
pletely obliterated. But let the intruder be some conscienceless collector, 
knowing that resistance is useless the birds do not make a stand, but 
seek some safe spot where they can observe the proceedings. But as soon 
as the premises have been deserted they I’eturn, and if the home remains 
untouched, resume possession as though nothing had happened. In the 
event of desecration, they forsake the S2D0t with sorrow and reluctance, 
and try their fortunes elsewhere. But a single brood is raised, although 
the tardiness of some pairs to nidificate has led to the belief that in some 
seasons the species may be double-brooded. 
The young birds, for a week or ten days subsequent to hatching, are 
quite weak and tender, and but for the attention and care bestowed by 
parental love, would quickly perish. Endowed by Nature with vigorous 
appetites, and being blessed with kind and thoughtful parents, they are 
soon able to heljD themselves. Their food at first consists of larvae of 
various kinds, but chiefly those of a lepidopterous character, and small 
diptera. With age comes an increase in the quantity and character of 
their food, and at the age of four weeks they desert the home-shelter, and 
forage in common with their parents. Thus they spend their lives, care- 
less and happy, until the first appearance of the “sere and yellow leaf” 
in September warns them of the growing scarcity of food-stuffs, and bids 
them retire to the groves of our southernmost States, or to scenes beyond 
the Mexic line. 
Their eggs are oval in form, and slightly j^ointed. In ground-color 
they are white, and spotted and blotched with reddish-brown, slate and 
