TAILOR-DIRDS. 



499 



The Malurinse form ii cliaracteristic group of warhler-Iike birds, chiefly Asstra- 

 lian, though a few si)ecies also are found in South Africa and Madagascar. Our cut 

 representing the emu-wren {Stipiturus malachurus), from Australia, illustrates one of 

 the smallest and most curious of the group, the tail-feathers being stiffened, and only 

 thinly su])plied with barbs, so that they resemble emu-feathers; the color of the bird 

 is brownisii, with a blue throat, but many of the species are gorgeously colored, being 

 in that res])ect not inferior to the brightest cotingas or tanagcrs. Anujtornis textilts, 

 with two allied species, also from Australia, belong here, wren-like birds of brown 

 plumage, with curious whitish longitudinal sti'eaks. 



The bird to the left, in our next group, the faintaii-warbler ( Cisticola cisticola), is 

 in Europe the only representative of tlie tribe of the grass-warblers, which to us is 



^^^^^^!^V<''-'--• /'■- 



Fig. 244. — Stipiturus malachurus, emu-wren. 



of great interest, .as it contains some of the most skilled bird architects, among others 

 the remarkable tailor-l)irds. In his work on Indian birds' nests and eggs, Mr. A. Hume 

 gives a full account of the structure of the nesting habits of Sittorta siitoria, from 

 which we make the following selection : "The Indian tailor-bird breeds throughout 

 India and Burmah, alike in the plains and in the hills, up to an elevation of from 3,000 

 to 4,000 feet. The nest has been often described and figured, and, as is well known, 

 is a deep soft cup enclosed in leaves, which the bii'd sews together to form a roce])ta- 

 cle for it. I (piote an e.vact descrijition of a nest which I took at Barcilly, and which 

 was recorded on the spot : ' Three of the long ovato-lanceolatc leaves of the mango, 

 whose ))eduncles si)rang from the same point, liad bceii neatly drawn together with 

 gossamer tlire;ids run through the sides of the leaves and knotted outside, so as to 

 form a cavity like the end of a netted purse, with a wide slit on the side nearest the 



