THEIR REPRODUCTION (NESTS) 259 



The Wood Warblers (Mniotiltidae) build cup- 

 shaped open nests in trees and bushes, fabricating 

 them of dry grass, leaves, moss, twigs, roots, and 

 lichens, and lining them with hair and feathers. 

 Those of the Tanagers (Tanagridae) are very 

 similar, but not so deep or so warmly lined. The 

 Weaver Birds (Ploceidae) are also wonderful 

 little architects, their nests usually being retort- 

 shaped or globular, with a long neck for entrance, 

 which may either curve downwards or be almost 

 horizontal. In the nests of some species there is 

 little or no neck, and the purse-shaped structure 

 is suspended from a branch with a cunningly- 

 woven string. The materials are dry grasses, 

 twigs, roots, and leaves externally, lined with 

 feathers, vegetable down, or even wool. Many 

 of these birds build in societies, each pair of 

 birds contributing in making a huge umbrella- 

 like structure in a tree, the under surface being 

 nearly flat and full of holes, in which the eggs 

 are deposited. Some of these extraordinary 

 co-operative nests contain a cartload or more of 

 grass, and at a distance look like native huts. 

 They are used by the Weaver Birds year after 

 year, and added to and repaired as may be 

 required. The Ox Birds (Textor) form very 

 similar structures. Across the entrance of some 



