214 A THEOBY OF BIRDS' NESTS. 



having a red rump, or being white spotted. They 

 differ from most others of the family in building 

 domed nests. 



20. Certhiola. In these pretty little American 

 creepers the sexes are alike, and they build a domed 

 nest. 



21. Mynahs (Sturnidas). These showy Eastern star- 

 lings have the sexes exactly alike. They build in holes 

 of trees. 



22. Calornis (Sturnidce). These brilliant metallic 

 starlings have no sexual differences. They build a 

 pensile covered nest. 



23. Hangnests (Icteridse). The red or yellow and 

 black plumage of most of these birds is very conspi- 

 cuous, and is exactly alike in both sexes. They are 

 celebrated for their fine purse-shaped pensile nests. 



It will be seen that this list comprehends six im- 

 portant families of Fissirostres, four of Scansores, the 

 Psittaci, and several genera, with three entire families 

 of Passeres, comprising about twelve hundred species, 

 or about one-seventh of all known birds. 



The cases in which, whenever the male is gaily 

 coloured, the female is much less gay or quite incon- 

 spicuous, are exceedingly numerous, comprising, in 

 fact, almost all the bright-coloured Passeres, except 

 those enumerated in the preceding class. The follow- 

 ing are the most remarkable : 



1. Chatterers (Cotingida3). These comprise some of 

 the most gorgeous birds in the world, vivid blues, 



