Page:Bird-lore Vol 08.djvu/204

 1 62 Bird- Lore My observations were chiefly confined to one nest, just at the top of a steep ravine. By standing on the plateau above the nest, it could easily be seen and touched. There were five eggs in this nest. They were of a light green color, blotched with reddish brown. The young birds are at first nearly covered with long, snow-white down and are very pretty. Grosbeaks are comparatively tame, the male being especially bold. I fre- quently set up my camera within two feet of the nest without frightening the birds away. On the first occasion the female was on the nest. My operations disturbed her and she flew off, giving a loud call to her mate, who came in a moment, and without the least hesitation took her place on MALE GROSBEAK ON THE NEST the nest. I could almost touch him before he got off. Then, as I retreated a step, he would return to the nest. The male seemed to share very faith- fully, with his mate, the cares of the household. The male usually was silent about the home tree, while the female kept chirping shrilly in the neighboring shrubbery. The mates seemed to take turns in feeding the young. While one was away foraging the other would stay at the nest, at least while observers were near. The returning bird always notified the other of his coming by calling. After the feeding, the parent usually sat on the edge of the nest watching the offspring with solicitous care. The food consisted of locusts, caterpillars, moths and other insects, and fruit. I never saw the parents feeding potato beetles to the young, though the Grosbeak is called the "potato-bug bird" in the West, for its destructiveness of this insect.