Mar., 1916 
CHAPTER IN THE LIFE HISTORY OF THE WREN-TIT 
67 
other of the pair was upon the nest continually, it was fifteen days, this latter 
probably being more exact since the eggs hatched simultaneously. 
From April 20 until May 1 several observations were made daily. One or 
the other of the pair covered the young continually, but not once were they seen 
feeding. However, on April 23, when I was leaning over the nest, a slight noise 
caused one of the young to raise its head and open its mouth. On April 26 the 
young had almost doubled in size, their eyes were beginning to open, and the 
feather tracts had become clearly defined, with indications of pin feathers upon 
the crown of the head and along the edges of the wings. This was the first indi- 
cation of plumage up to this time, for the birds appeared to be perfectly naked 
when hatched, not even down feathers being in evidence. By May 1, the young 
had commenced to feather out. The crown of the head, scapulars, inter-scapu- 
lars and underparts were becoming well-clad, and the flight feathers on the 
wings were breaking through their sheaths. The tail feathers were still only 
rudimentary. 
Unfortunately no further observations were made until May 4. On that 
date, between 9 and 10 a. m., both birds were busily engaged in foraging for food 
and brought fifteen capacity loads to the nest at fairly regular intervals. The 
food was all secured in the immediate vicinity and each load was divided as 
equally as possible among the three hungry youngsters. A small green caterpil- 
lar, a larva of one of the Geometrid moths, seemed to be the favorite, or perhaps 
the most available, article of food. A few angle-worms were brought, among 
other things not clearly recognized, and one small white moth was disposed of 
easily, wings and all. 
The old bird would sing loudly when a short distance from the nest, even 
when carrying two or three caterpillars in its bill. Always when a foot or so 
from the nest it would give a soft clucking sound which at once produced intense 
excitement among the young and caused much stretching of necks and gaping of 
bills. I hardly believe that the wren-tits practice regurgitation, although they 
would place their seemingly empty bills deep into the mouths of the young and 
instantly still their clamoring for food. Also on nearly every trip to the nest 
with food, fragments of excrement were carefully removed, carried a little dis- 
tance away and dropped. 
On May 5, between 8 :30 and 9 :00 a. m., nine trips with food were made, and 
one of the young in its impatience climbed out of the nest and spent a few 
moments perched upon a twig six or eight inches away, as if hoping to intercept 
the old birds and secure more than its share of food. This effort was unavailing 
as it received only its lawful share. Two fairly large winged moths were eagerly 
accepted as food, although swallowed only with much difficulty. 
May 6 at 1 :30 p. m., the young were fed twice within five minutes, when 
apparently the great moment had arrived and as if at a signal all three, now 
fully feathered, fluttered from the nest and remained perched contentedly upon 
nearby branches. Thus, sixteen days from the time of hatching, the nest had 
ceased to be a necessity and was abandoned. On May 7 the young were easily 
located, still only a short distance from the nest, by the actions of the old birds 
who for the first time seemed truly worried at a strange presence, and gave fre- 
quent voice to their alarm note which Grinnell (Condor, xv, 1913, p, 179) has 
described as a “harsh clicking sound, rather loud and set off in abrupt seg- 
ments.’’ The young were still, figuratively speaking, under the wing of the par- 
ent birds when last seen, and still seemingly unable to forage for themselves. 
