294 INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 



bird,t but in the deep and cool shade of the forest, in- 

 stead of the blooming bower. Security being obtained 

 by a firm adhesion of the materials, our little brilliant 

 and active architect is seldom solicitious about a great 

 elevation, the height of the nest being probably rarely 

 more than 6 to 12 feet from the ground ; except in erect 

 sapplings, when the height may be 20 to 30 feet. The 

 external materials (of 3 nests from which I now describe) 

 are short and rather coarse strips of Hemlock fir bark, 

 and also stalks of small tree leaves, or tough blades of 

 grass (Poa compressa) agglutinated by saliva, and thinly 

 tied over with caterpillar's silk and the linty bark of the 

 dog's bane {Apocynum Sp.) ; to the outside appear also 

 attached bits of snow-white fibrous touch-wood, and 

 films of paper-birch bark ; within this first layer are 

 more scraps of touch-wood, and bits of a white fungus 

 {Agaricus tomentosus) ; after which, the rest of the man- 

 ufacture, to the thickness of more than half an inch, 

 consists almost wholly of slender brown strips of grape- 

 vine bark, becoming thinner towards the ultimate lining 

 surface, so as to appear no thicker, at length, than the 

 finer sewing-thread. Sometimes, as in one of these nests, 

 while making the first tenacious layer, sparing and acci- 

 dental bits of thread are not refused when convenient, 

 which must however seldom happen from the solitary and 

 secluded habits of the species. This nest, never pensile, 

 bears a great resemblance to that of the Pine Warbler, 

 but the lining is neither soft nor downy. The eggs, 3 

 or 4, are cream white, and pretty thickly sprinkled with 

 yellowish-brown spots of two shades, becoming more 

 numerous towards the greater end. Both parents, but 

 particularly the male, exhibit great concern for the safety 

 of their nest, whether containing eggs only or young, and 



f Sylvia sutoria ; the nest as given in Forbes's History of India. 



