Page:Condor12(4).djvu/8

118 THE CONDOR VoL. XII only sets of six seen in the examination of several hundred nests. One of these sets of six was in a nest which appeared to be a "two-story" affair, the new nest being bilt upon the remains of the last year's nest. A week later, on the twenty-fourth, the two nesting sites were visited again. The larger colony in the rushes was in about the same condition as on our preced- ing visit, but most of the birds whose nests had been destroyed, and the non- breeding birds had disappeared. The floating nest which was photographt before, contained four eggs and one newly hatcht chick (which afterward fell into the water and was drowned), but the negative made at this time met with an accident and no picture was secured. Following this, weekly visits were made to the various nests, and photos of the young birds in the nest which was first photographt on the 18th, were made May 31 (when the birds were about one week old), June 8, 15, 22 and 30, respectively. These birds were apparently able to leave the nest ?by the 15th (when they were about three weeks old), but to our suprise they remained for more than two weeks after this date. After the 15th, however, they become much wilder and more difficult to approach, and our coming was usually attended by rather strenu- ous races thru the waist-deep water before the clumsy youngsters could be returned to the nest from which they had flopt upon our too close approach. On June 30, we found the level of the lake about six inches higher than on the preceding week, the nest completely inundated and the four great, stupid birds huddled together in the nest, drencht to the skin, the very picture of dejection and despair. The fol- lowing week we found the nest empty, and the young had disappeared. Meanwhile the remainder of the colony in the swamp was progressing nicely. The first young of the year was seen on the wing June 15. On the same date two sets of fresh eggs were found close by. On June 22 nearly all of the nests con- tained young birds. On July 7 a few young remained in the nests, but they were fully leathered and almost able to fly. On July 21, all of the young save a few be- lated arrivals were on the wing, and the breeding season of 1907 was at an end.