ng to make me suspect that the
female did any of the work. Her coming was usually welcomed by a joyous
song, but once the evidence seemed to prove that she was driven away;
perhaps she was too free with her criticisms! In another case the work
was sadly interrupted by the presence of the visitor, for while she sat
in the nest her excited mate flew back and forth as if he had quite
forgotten the business in hand. Perhaps he was nervous, and wanted to
make sure what she was doing in the new house!

In several instances I found that while the males were at work building,
the females went off by themselves. Once I saw Madame Phainopepla bring
her friend home with her. No sooner had the visitor lit than--shocking
to relate--the lord of the house left his work and drove her off with
bill and claw--a polite way to treat his lady's friends, surely! On one
occasion, when I looked up I saw a procession passing overhead--two
females followed by a male. The male flew hesitatingly, as if troubled
by his conscience, and then, deciding that if the nest was ever going to
be built he had better keep at it, turned around and came back to work.
One day when I rode over to the chaparral island, I found two of the
males sitting around in the brush. They played tag until tired, and then
perched on a branch in the sun, side by side, evidently enjoying
themselves like light-hearted, care-free bachelors. Their mates were
not in sight. But suddenly I glanced up and saw two females flying in to
the island high overhead, as if coming from a distance. Instantly the
indifferent holiday air of their mates vanished. They gave their low
warning calls, for I was on the ground and they must not show me their
nests. In answer to the warning the females wavered, and then, when
their mates joined them, all four flew away together.

At other times when I rode in the males would make large circles,
seventy-five feet above me, as if to get a clear understanding of the
impending danger. This was when small nest hunters were about, and the
birds were some whose nests I did not find, and who had no opportunity
to become convinced of my good intentions.

After finding that the males did most of the building, I was anxious to
see how it would be when the brooding began. Three of my nests were
broken up beforehand, however, and the fourth was despoiled after I had
watched the birds on the nest one day. Nevertheless, the evidence of
that day was most interesting as