358 



FRANCIS H. HERRICK 



The first strands of bast are wound around the chosen twig 

 rather loosely at first, and often with one or more turns, while 

 the subsequent methods of work tends to draw the. e threads 

 tighter. Later the fibres appear to be more loosely attached 

 or merely passed over the branch. From this simple beginning 

 a loose pendent mass of fibers is slowly formed, and it is a long 

 time before it takes on the semblance of a nest. As in the 



Figure 20. The same nest as it appeared three hours later than the stage repre- 

 sented by Fgure 19. Sketched May 15, 9.45 a. m. Fibres carried to the 

 third point of support, and many long threads hanging free from the nest- 

 mass. 



vireo, however, this is gradually extended outward, involving 

 twig after twig, until it marks the nest rim, and as slowly grow- 

 ing downward, it represents the first formed part of the nest- 

 wall (figs. 19 and 20). In the case of the oriole there is this 

 difference to be noticed : the primary nest-mass is strictly pen- 

 dulous, being attached at one or two points, and by a few fibers 

 only, while its free end is frayed into long streamers, some of 

 which often appear to reach a length of i^ feet. 



