92 



has been observed to receive one male with spreading wings 

 and quivering feathers, and the next moment, when this bird 

 had been driven off, to welcome the victor with the same 

 freedom and display. To what extent this prevails, it is, of 

 course, difficult to say. Cases of polygamy, such as Nuttall 

 suggests, probably occur even more frequently than polyandry. 

 Coues (1883) reports on two such cases observed by Beal in 

 the prairie sloughs of Iowa, and many other cases doubtless 

 have been noted. In a large marsh, where a great many birds 

 are nesting, it is difficult to decide with precision in such cases, 

 since the slightest disturbance brings males from all parts. 

 One definite case, however, was observed during 1910, where 

 a male mated with two females. The nest of the first female 

 and her relations with the male were perfectly normal. The 

 nest of the second female was built about five days later than 

 that of the first, and at a distance of about 25 feet. Three 

 eggs were laid, but one of them disappeared and another proved 

 infertile. This nest was rather poorly constructed, and it 

 slipped down on one side. The relations of the second female 

 with the male were not extremely close, the only interest 

 usually shown by him being that of driving other males from 

 the neighborhood of the nest. She had, however, no other 

 mate. The two nests were watched for many hours at a time 

 from a bhnd. 



After the choice of mates, an interval of a week or more may 

 intervene before the building of the nest, although it is fre- 

 quently less, and in many cases the nest is started immediately. 

 By the end of the first week in May, most of the adult birds 

 are mated and have started to build. When mating occurs, 

 the ovaries of the females are far from mature. The organs of 

 the male, on the other hand, have reached nearly a maximum 

 of development. (Plate XXI, R and H.) 



Nesting. 



To quote from every author who has written on the nesting 



of the Redwing would be an endless task, and would result in 



much unnecessary repetition. Nuttall has written the most 



complete account, and is quoted almost in full below. Only 



