File:American birds, studied and photographed from life (1907) (14750155382).jpg

Identifier: americanbirdsstu00finl (find matches)
Title: American birds, studied and photographed from life
Year: 1907 (1900s)
Authors: Finley, William L. (William Lovell), 1876-1953
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: New York, C. Scribner's sons
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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tcame out and perched on the wire while the male took alook. The next day the female began carrying straws.She had a devoted husband, but he was merely an attend-ant when it came to work. He watched and applauded,but he didnt help build. I dont know but that he wastoo lazy; or maybe he didnt know how, or the wife didntwant him bothering while she was building to suit herself.It looked to me as if he were ornamental without beinguseful. But after watching awhile, it seemed that It washer duty to build and his to watch and encourage. Whenshe carried in the material and fixed It, she popped outof the hole and waited while he went in to look, and thenout he would come with words of praise, and away theywould fly together. I had a splendid arrangement to watch the builders atclose quarters. I could go in the tank house and closethe door, and then In the darkness I could look througha crack In the box, and with my eye less than a foot awaycould watch every movement the birds made. While the
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\ oung Hlue Jaj- just leaving nest. Two Studies in Blue 169 mother was setting on the eggs she became very tame, andwe often reached in and stroked her feathers. When the young birds came I watched the mothercome to feed and brood her young. The father was theever-watchful admirer, but the mother was all business,and paid no attention to him except to knock him out ofthe way when he was too devoted. The mother alwaysbrought in the food, and the father kept staying awaymore and more, until the young birds were grown. One day while I was watching, the mother was feed-ing the youngsters on maggots almost entirely. She wasgone quite a while, but each time returned with a largemouthful, which she fed to the young. Occasionally oneof the young failed to get all of them, and if one droppedthe mother picked it up and ate it herself. One of the eggs was addled and did not hatch, butthe mother was very fond of it. She would look at italmost every time she returned, and would turn it over,and th

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