190 NEST OF THE TAILOR-BIRO. 



Fig. 11. Asiatic Elephant. 

 Fig. 12. African Elephant. 



Dental formula of the genus Elephas. — Dent, prim. JL 

 Ian. ° mol. " or H. 



' 2.2 ' 1.1 



Fig. 13. Indian Rhinoceros. 

 Dent. prim. 11, mol. &• 



Fig. 14. The Giraffe. ' 

 Dent. prim. ■—, mol. |i. 



NEST OF THE TATLOR-BIRD. 



To the Editor of the Zoological Magazine. 

 Sir, 

 Of all the various birds which show inimitable skill in the 

 construction of their nests, the one I think which has occa- 

 sioned the greatest wonder and admiration is the Tailor-bird 

 of Hindostan. Although, perhaps, many other birds, which 

 are so busily engaged in collecting little tufts of hair, dis- 

 engaging them from each other, and then braiding them into 

 the smooth lining of their mossy baskets, may really possess 

 equal ingenuity, yet the tailor-bird excites more surprise, 

 from his setting about his work more as a human creature 

 might be expected to do. The account given by Dr. Darwin 

 of this little bird, is, that he picks up a fallen leaf, and fastens 

 it by means of his sharp bill, which answers the purpose of a 

 needle, to another leaf growing on the slender branch of a 

 tree, and then lines this purse-formed nest with down. This 

 account has been copied by many writers, and receives some 

 confirmation from the appearance of the nests which are pre- 

 served in the British Museum. But against this opinion we 

 have the strong evidence of an eye-witness, Mr. Forbes, who 

 says that he himself observed the actions of a pair of these 

 birds in his garden in India, and who, while he confirms the 

 fact of the bird sewing leaves together with cotton, says, that 

 he does this, not to make a nest, but to conceal the nest which 

 he has made. If we credit this last account in preference to 

 Darwin's, what are we to think of the nests in the British 

 Museum ? 



The author of the 'Architecture of Birds' thinks Mr, Forbes's 

 statement the more probable. Why so ? Is it not the sewing 

 of the leaves which excites our surprise ? And does the bird 

 appear less extraordinary if he devotes his skill, not, as other 

 birds do, to the important affair in hand, but to the after- 

 thought of concealment ? 



