William Brewster wrote: "I have found, or seen _in situ_, twelve
hummers' nests, all in Massachusetts. Of these I took nine, after
watching each a short time, probably not more than an hour or two in any
case. Of the remaining three, I visited one three or four times at
various hours of the day, another only twice, the third but once. Two of
the three contained young when found. The third was supposed to have
young, also, but could not be examined without danger to its contents. I
have never seen a male hummer anywhere near a nest, either before or
after the eggs were laid, but, as you will gather from the above brief
data, my experience has not been extensive; and in the old days, when
most of my nests were found, the methods of close watching now in vogue
were unthought of. In the light of the testimony to which you refer, I
should conclude, with you, that the male hummer must occasionally assist
in the care of the young, but I am very sure that this is not usually,
if indeed often, the case."

Mr. H. W. Henshaw reported a similar experience. He had found four nests
of the ruby-throat, but had seen no male about any of them after
nidification was begun. "I confess," he says, "that I had never thought
of his absence as being other than accidental, and hence have never made
any observations directly upon the point; so that my testimony is of
comparatively little value. In at least one instance, when the female
was building her nest, I remember to have seen the male fly with her and
perch near by, while she was shaping the nest, and then fly off with her
after more material. I don't like to believe that the little villain
leaves the entire task of nidification to his better half (we may well
call her better, if he does); but my memory is a blank so far as
testimony affirmative of his devotion is concerned." Mr. Henshaw recalls
an experience with a nest of the Rivoli humming-bird (_Eugenes
fulgens_), in Arizona,--a nest which he spent two hours in getting. "I
was particularly anxious to secure the male, but did not obtain a
glimpse of him, and I remember thinking that it was very strange." He
adds that Mr. C. W. Richmond has told him of finding a nest and taking
the eggs without seeing the father bird, and sums up his own view of the
matter thus:--

"Had any one asked me offhand, 'Does the male hummer help the female
feed the young?' I am quite sure I should have answered, 'Of course he
does.' As the case now stands, how