26 THE USEFUL BIRDS 



colonies of Fairy Martins. The Kingfishers fly up, catch the 

 end of the neck or entrance spout in their beaks, and gradually 

 break it off until they reach the eggs or young, which they 

 ruthlessly devour. T have known the pretty little Pardalote, 

 or Diamond-bird, which usually builds a nest at the end of a 

 tunnel 2 feet long excavated in some sandy tank, deliberately 

 take possession of one of those spouted nests of the Fairy 

 Martin, and hold it against all opposition from its original 

 constructors, and safely rear a brood of young." 



I am informed of another case, in which an introduced 

 Sparrow took possession of a nest that was nearly completed 

 by the Martins. As this Sparrow absolutely refused to leave 

 the nest, the Martins built it in with mud. Perhaps it was 

 sick and could not leave. In any case, my informant released 

 it. 



Nest. — Made of mud, with a retort-shaped neck, the funnel 

 extending from the bowl several inclies ; the inner lining is 

 composed of grasses and feathers. A colony of nests is placed 

 under a bridge or on a bank. 



Eggs. — White or white spotted with tawny brow^n ; the 

 spots may be distributed over the egg or at the larger end 

 only. Three to five generally for a sitting. Leugth, 0.7 inch ; 

 breadth, 0.5 inch. 



