548 LIFE-HISTORIES OF BIRDS 



ion of, the nest. Sitting commences on the 

 bllowing day, and continues for 13 days. 



While the female is thus occupied, the male- 

 jird is very cautious, seldom refnaining in elope 

 proximity to the nest, for fear of revealing its 

 vhereabouts; but steals into the neighborhood 

 ifter certain intervals, to supply her with food. 

 A^'hen the nest has been stumbled upon and his 

 nate is constrained to abandon it, the male does 

 lot forsake his hiding-place to come to the rescue. 

 The female, however, by various strategic move- 

 nents, labors to divert the intruder, by imitating 

 ;he actions, and cries of a crippled bird, until she 

 las decoyed the inexperienced to a remote dis- 

 ance, when she throws off the guise of hypocrisy, 

 ind quickly disappears. With those who are 

 rained to such experience^, this ruse does not suc- 

 :eed, and the disappointed parent often beholds 

 vith feelings of sorrow, her nest and its contents 

 lespoiled by ruthless hands. 



Both parents are extremely assiduous in their 

 levotions to the young, and carefully and faithfully 

 idminister to their wants. They feed them with 

 he larvae of various insects, besides mature forms 

 )f diptera and lepidoptera. The larvae of Anisop- 

 eryx vernata, A. pometaria, Ennotnos subsignaria, 

 Zhosrodes transversata, Colias philodice, Eufikhia 

 ■ibearia. Hybernia tiliaria, besides Ortalis, Scato- 

 ^haga, Anthomya, among diptera; and Cynips 

 .mong hymenoptera, aphides, and earthworms. 



The young are from 13 to 14 days old when 



