REED WARBLER 



emotional periods, is as nothing when compared with that of 

 many others at corresponding periods. I cut away the reeds, 

 and even make a clear opening of some few feet in length 

 so as to be able to have the nest in full view, and the female 

 takes but little notice, hesitating only so long as there is any 

 appreciable movement, but if I remain motionless for a few 

 minutes she quietly approaches the nest and attends to the 

 young. Testing her patience still further, I take up a young 

 one, hold it in my hand, and remain with it near the nest, but 

 still she does not respond actively after the manner of the 

 Blackcap or Whitethroat, travelling only from reed to reed 

 whilst uttering her quiet purring note. On referring to my 

 notes taken while watching the nests of various pairs during 

 the last few years, I have been astonished to find that in no 

 single instance is there any record of the male brooding the 

 young. This fact "seems so curious that I am almost per- 

 suaded that it is an oversight on my part ; yet the notes seem 

 to accurately record the actions of the male at the time. It 

 is the more curious when we remember that he takes his share 

 in keeping the eggs at the proper temperature before incuba- 

 tion commences, and that he also shares the duties of incuba- 

 tion equally with the female. If it is really the case, it is 

 somewhat difficult to explain, for if competent to incubate, 

 surely he must be competent to brood, unless there is a 

 difference in the bodily temperature of the sexes ; possibly the 

 parental instinct is stronger in the female than in the male. 



Brooding occupies the greater part of the time of the 

 female, and is clearly the more important consideration in 

 the early stages of the growth of the offspring, since warmth 

 and sleep, the latter dependent upon the former, are then the 

 necessities of life, food supply being of less importance. But 

 correspondingly with their growth these conditions become 

 gradually reversed until food supply is the greater necessity 

 and warmth of minor importance, a stage which is reached 

 when their bodies are more or less covered with feathers. 

 During these few days the male is by no means idle; he is 



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