26 ANORTHURA TROGLODYTES. 



of the songsters of the woods, he must awake and roam about 

 at this early hour. It is then that they seem to be in ecstacy, 

 and strive to rival one another in the richness and variety of 

 their notes. At ten minutes past three o'clock, the male hop- 

 ped round and round, and if I may judge from his appearance, 

 surveyed with satisfaction the commodious fabric, in the erec- 

 tion of which his consort had taken the active part. He then 

 flew to the top of a tree, and sung in the most animated strains. 

 At half-past three o'clock, the female went into her nest, in 

 which she remained for five minutes, and rounded the entrance 

 into it, by pressing it with her breast, and the shoulders of her 

 wings. Between half-past three and half-past four o'clock, she 

 went in five times, with very fine moss in her bill. With 

 the greatest care she surveyed the whole of her edifice. At 

 half-past four she went in twice with very tender moss, with 

 which she adjusted a small dej^ression in the fore part of it. 

 After having remained out for twenty minutes, she returned 

 with a bundle of leaves to fill up a vacancy which she had ob- 

 served in the back of the structure. Although it was an ex- 

 ceedingly cold morning, accompanied with a boisterous wind 

 and rain, the male sang most delightfully. Between seven and 

 eight o'clock, he having either received a reproof from his wife, 

 or regretting his former remissness, assisted her more frequently 

 than he had done yesterday. During the space of ten minutes 

 they went into their abode, generally two and three times, with 

 moss in their bills. At eleven o'clock, she flew oft" with him 

 to some distance, in order, I suppose, to enjoy a little relaxa- 

 tion from her labours. They did not return until a quarter 

 past one o'clock. From one to four o'clock, they went into 

 their nest twenty-seven times, at different periods, sometimes 

 only once in ten minutes, and at other times more frequently, 

 with fine moss in their bills. From four to nearly five o'clock, 

 the female carried in a feather three times, and brought to a 

 conclusion the operations of the day. 



" Thursday, 1st June. — I went out a little past six o'clock. 

 They had not however as yet visited their residence, which I 

 knew from having put a very slender stalk of a leaf in front of 

 the door, which they were obliged to remove before they could 



