ever, I am inclined to believe him a
depraved wretch."

Up to this point the testimony of my correspondents had been unanimous,
but the unanimity was broken by Dr. C. Hart Merriam, who remembers that
on one occasion his attention was called to a nest (it proved to contain
a set of fresh eggs) by the flying of both its owners about his head;
and by Mr. W. A. Jeffries, who in one case saw the father bird in the
vicinity of a nest occupied by young ones, although he did not see him
feed or visit them. This nest, Mr. Jeffries says, was one of five which
he has found. In the four other instances no male birds were observed,
notwithstanding three of the nests were taken,--a tragedy which might be
expected to bring the father of the family upon the scene, if he were
anywhere within call.

In view of the foregoing evidence, it appears to me reasonably certain
that the male ruby-throat, as a rule, takes no considerable part in the
care of eggs and young. The testimony covers not less than fifty nests.
Some of them were watched assiduously, nearly all were examined, and the
greater part were actually taken; yet of the fifty or more male
proprietors, only two were seen; and concerning these exceptions, it is
to be noticed that in one case the eggs were just laid, and in the
other, while the hungry nestlings must have kept the mother bird
extremely busy, her mate was not observed to do anything in the way of
lightening her labors.

As against this preponderance of negative testimony, and in
corroboration of Mr. Lowell's and Mrs. Treat's circumstantial
narratives, there remain to be mentioned the fact communicated to me by
Mr. Hoar, that a townsman of his had at different times had two hummers'
nests in his grounds, the male owners of which were constant in their
attentions, and the following very interesting and surprising story
received from Mr. C. C. Darwin, of Washington, through the kindness of
Mr. Henshaw. Some years ago, as it appears, a pair of ruby-throats built
a nest within a few feet of Mr. Darwin's window and a little below it,
so that they could be watched without fear of disturbing them. He
remembers perfectly that the male fed the female during the entire
period of incubation, "pumping the food down her throat." All this time,
so far as could be discovered, the mother did not once leave the nest
(in wonderful contrast with my bird of a year ago), and of course the
father was never seen to take her place. Mr. Darwi