NESTS AND NEST-BUILDING IN BIRDS 363 



from what we may now call the inside. At n.35 a. m. on this 

 day the nest rim, though incomplete was more pronounced, 

 but no proper bottom to the nest could be discerned. Up to 

 this point nothing suggestive of molding movements had been 

 noticed. At the next visit, two minutes later, the oriole brought 

 several bast strips held crossv^ise in bill according to her wont, 

 and quickly worked them in; then catching up the free end 

 of a long thread she carried it around a twig a little farther 

 away and endeavored to secure it; this represents either what 

 we ha\^e designated as the fourth point of attachment (compare 

 fig. 19, iv, and fig. 21), or an abortive attempt to use mme other 

 point still farther away. The fourth supporting twig in the 

 complete nest carries only four or five strands. 



At I o'clock p. M. (see fig. 21) the nest was outlined in full, 

 but with one side open with the exception of a thin web at the 

 top. This gap (not quite correctly shown in the drawing) 

 is nearly opposite the original free mass, which has now -become 

 the thickest part of the nest wall. The most striking character 

 of the nest at this stage are the long free fibers, which hang 

 down from all sides of what represents the outer surface. They 

 are for the most part worked into the bottom and side walls 

 and are invariably drawn through from the inside with rapid 

 strokes of the bill. At 4.15 p. m. the upper thin web between 

 the second and third points of supports had perceptibly thickened 

 and grown downward, while a lower web was extending upward 

 from the bottom. 



At 7.30 A. M. on the third day, after from 15 to 20 hours of con- 

 structive work, the nest had the appearance roughly shown in 

 figure 22. There still appeared to be a gap opposite the first 

 finished side (shaded light in the drawing) , but with a glass it could 

 be seen that this space between the upper and lower webs referred 

 to abo\'e ^\'as trans versed by a framework of fine fibers. Further 

 the long loose threads had been mostly drawn in, and at this 

 period the bird or rather her " shadow " was working busily 

 at the task from the inside of the pouch, and the point of her bill 

 with sometimes a part of the head could be seen piercing the 

 loose wall in the characteristic shuttle movements to which 

 we ha\'e often referred. The first molds were noticed while 

 the bird was thus partially screened from view as was indi- 

 cated by a vibration of her wings and shaking of the whole 



