DO BIRDS IMPROVE AS ARCHITECTS? 73 



robin never assists in building. This is not because he 

 domineers over the female, refusing to do his share of 

 the work — for she is evidently the master-spirit and 

 he the poor hen-pecked subordinate ; she probably con- 

 siders him incapable of so great an undertaking as to 

 assist in the construction of even a mud cabin. Never- 

 theless, he is very watchful and solicitous while she is 

 at woi'k and during incubation; and when the young 

 are hatched he does as much for their support while 

 in the nest as the female. As soon as they leave the 

 nest she shirks all the responsibility of protecting and 

 providing for them upon him, while she proceeds to 

 build another domicile or to fit up the old one. By 

 this judicious management upon her part she sometimes 

 succeeds in rearing three broods in one season, while 

 most other birds rear but two. 



The male must find his task rather arduous with this 

 young household thrown upon his care, their gaping, 

 never-satisfied mouths around him. 



Recently I was the witness of quite an amusing scene. 

 The male robin brought his young family — nearly as 

 large as himself by this time — from the mud cabin to 

 some raspberry bushes. The bushes were supported 

 by narrow strips of board nailed to posts. This gave 

 the birds secure footing while plundering the fruit. 

 Two of the speckled-breasts helped themselves to the 

 fruit, but the third one kept close to the father, with 

 gaping mouth. In vain the parent flew from one sup- 

 port to another ; the persistent offspring was close to 



