6 OUR SOUTHERN BIRDS 



When was the first egg laid ? the last ? 



Do both birds or only one incubate the eggs? 



How long before hatching? 



What food is brought to the young? 



How long do they remain in the nest? Do they 

 return to it after once leaving ? 



How long are they fed before seeking their own 

 living ? 



Do they remain with the parents until migration? 

 The changes in plumage brought about by the juvenal 

 and yearly molts are a puzzling factor in identification 

 of birds, and one that makes the study of migration diffi- 

 cult for the beginner. But the date of arrival in spring, 

 and whether the birds come in flocks, pairs, or singly, or 

 whether the males and females arrive in separate bands, 

 are interesting points and easily noted. 



If the blank pages be filled out with these and similar 

 data carefully made, the completed book will be valued 

 for generations. 



