July
that the male could have had very little say in the matter, (although of course he settled the general site by his "singing tree." before the arrival of the female) for he was engaged off and on nearly all day in singing from his favourite tree, and I never once saw him attempt to bring any building material to the nest, whereas I repeatedly saw the female do so, as already described. Many other similar instances could be mentioned, more especially that of the Nashville Warbler (Vermivora rubricapilla rubricapilla) recorded in 1917[1], where the male bird I also feel sure had very little if anything to do in selecting the final spot for the nest, although of course he again fixed the general site by his "singing tree," which in this case was only eight yards away from the nest, that of the Blackburnian's being eighteen yards. He like the Blackburnian spent most of his time in singing, but on several occassions he apparently accompanied the female whilst she was gathering building material, for I saw then return together, but he always repaired at once to his tree and commenced to sing. I think judging from my own experience, and that of others, it may safely be assumed that the males of this most interesting family, in the majority of cases, have little if anything to do with the actual selection of the final spot on which the nest shall rest, the females in nearly all cases performing this duty as well as that of constructing the nest. Let us now take another interesting but somewhat different case, in which the female although contrary to one's expectations (as the males of this species assist in the construction of the nest also) still apparently had all the choosing of the final spot for the nest. I refer to the case of the Purple Finch, (Carpodacus purpureus purpureus) whose nest was built in a spruce tree in an orchard adjoining the house I was temporarily residing in during the summer of 1918. I first noticed the male usually singing from a particular crab-apple tree, and shortly afterwards he was joined by a mate, when building operations commenced. Strange to say, however, the nest was built on the side of the spruce tree away from that of the apple tree, and where it was invisible to the male whilst singing, nor was it possible for him to take up any other position (except on the spruce itself, and this is what he eventually did on several occasions) and be
- ↑ 'Auk,' Vol. XXXV, 1918, p. 302.
