2o6 



that the Violet Tanager either nests in a hole in a 

 tree, or, if it builds in tlie open, it at all events con- 

 structs a spherical nest like that of our Common Wren 

 or Long-tailed Titmouse. 



The most diverse kinds of materials were utilised 

 b}^ the male bird — leaves, paper, moss, and small slicks, 

 with the usual hay, and he continued to work away at 

 it for a fortnight, singing most vociferously in the 

 intervals of his labour. The hen meanwhile fiew to 

 and fro with her partner, and in and out of the nest, 

 but she carried no materials and took no part in the 

 construction, in fact she was evidently not quite ready 

 to breed as yet. 



I saw no further nesting until April, when all at 

 once the hen commenced to build another nest in a 

 similar nest box but in a different part of the aviary. 

 The nest was exactly similar in construction. And 

 now most unfortunately, just at this critical time, the 

 male went off colour. He did not seem exactly ill, 

 but he ceased to sing and was evidently not in breed- 

 ing form. I have a note under date April 23, that I 

 had to remove the other hens as they were being badly 

 persecuted by the breeding pair. 



My last note is dated May 2, and is to the effect 

 that the Violets were pairing on that day. Within the 

 next few days I was taken ill and I did not enter the 

 aviary again until the beginning of July. You may 

 be sure that one of the first things I did was to have a 

 look at the nest. It contained nothing ; but, oddly 

 enough, there was a spotted egg evidently of this 

 species in the first nest (the one built by the male). 

 I have often wondered what happened in those two 

 months, but this chapter in the history of my Violet 



