BIRDS OF THE UNITED STATES. 
209 
home. Nothing now remains to be done but to furnish the capacious 
apartment with its wee, spotted treasures. This cannot he commenced 
immediately, as sufficient time must be allowed for the walls to become 
properly seasoned. Two or three days at the utmost are all that are 
necessary. On the fourth day the female deposits her first jewel, and, 
where not interrupted, renews the same duty day by day, until she has 
furnished her allotted quota. She immediately commences the incubating 
process, occasionally not before the succeeding day, and for ten long days 
is thus engaged, when the appearance of the young reminds her that the 
labor is ended. While thus employed the male, actuated by the purest 
affection, administers to her necessities with commendable alacrity. He only 
forsakes her for food. When the nest is assailed, by the most pitiful cries 
and the practise of various ruses, he endeavors to lead his enemies away 
from it. His stratagems often succeed with the unsophisticated, but with 
the professional collector they are of little avail. 
The young are carefully nurtured. Their food consists of the larvm 
of small beetles, caterpillars of various kinds, and diptera. At the age of 
twelve days they are able to leave the nest, but remain under parental 
surveillance for a week longer, when they are obliged to shift for them- 
selves, being permitted, however, to enjoy the society of their parents. 
Early in September, both young and old take their departure, the greater 
portion retiring to Mexico, Guatemala and the West Indies, while a few 
remain along our southern borders. 
The plumage of the young bird is brownish-olive above, with a ten- 
dency to stronger virescence on the rump and tail. The eyelids and entire 
lower parts are a light buff, which is relieved by a tinge of yellow on 
breast and lower tail-coverts. The male in the spring is olive-green, 
somewhat grayer anteriorly, and has the forehead and a broad band 
through the eye to the neck a pure black, margined superiorly with 
grayish-ash. dhe chin, throat, breast, under tail-coverts and edge of wing 
bright yellow, passing into whitish in the abdominal region. The wings 
and tail are slightly olive, and devoid of marks. The bill is black, and 
