INTELLIGENCE IN BIRDS. 115 



and juicy. The humming birds avoid the neutral tinted 

 flowers, though equally provided with honey nectaries, 

 and seek those of brilliant dyes. Some of the vireos 

 ornament the outside of their nests with patches of co- 

 coons, spider-Avebs and other bits of delicate white sub- 

 stances, thus giving the well-built structure a very neat 

 and unique appearance. The humming birds often use 

 bits of moss, with which they cover the entire exterior 

 of the nest, arranging all the pieces in the most artistic 

 and ingenious manner. There certainly is a motive for 

 this extra labor : it is either for protection or attraction ; 

 for concealment or ornamentation. We might attribute 

 it to the former purpose were it not that often the moss 

 is intertwined with beautiful and showy feathers, so ar- 

 ranged as to make the structure still more conspicuous, 

 especially if it is placed well out of the reach of all danger. 



Mr. Gould, the naturalist, tells us that bower birds of 

 Isew South Wales, at mating times, build play houses 

 and deck them with variegated materials, especially 

 glittering substances. The males vie with one another 

 in this work of ornamentation, plainly exhibiting pride 

 and emulation in their artistic labors. In these ornate 

 houses the loving pairs disport themselves with every 

 exhibition of satisfaction and delight. These accounts 

 are corroborated by many other reliable writers : some 

 of the incidents related of these wonderful birds are as 

 marvelous and as interesting as the history of the 

 Lilhputians. 



Many of the feathered tribe manifest real pleasure at 

 the execution of simple harmonies. They enjoy the 



