2IO NATURE STUDY. 



ways be regarded an utilitarian structure ? Can it be 

 called a ' ' procreant cradle ? " It is the receptacle which 

 the parent birds have provided for the eggs during the pe- 

 riod of incubation, and afterwards for the young until they 

 are able to fly, and it matters not how beautiful and elabo- 

 rate it may be or how much labor it cost in its construc- 

 tion, it is forthwith deserted. Do all birds build nests? 

 What kind of a nest does a goose or a duck build ? Does 

 a chimney swift light on the ground ? How do they gath- 

 er the twigs ? For fine architecture the feet must grasp. 

 No web-footed bird builds a really clever nest. The beak, 

 legs, feet, and in some cases the breast, are the tools with 

 which birds build nests, and the peculiarity and perfection 

 of these parts would necessarily determine the comparative 

 beauty and perfection of the nest. Such, however, is not 

 the case, for many birds with finely-pointed bills and long, 

 agile legs construct clumsy nests, while other species much 

 less favored in the merits of their tools build nests that are 

 paragons of beauty and perfection. As examples, some of 

 the swifts with their weak bills and abnormally short legs 

 are unable to make an elaborate nest, while other members 

 of this class make remarkably elaborate nests. 



Against these birds we have the hummingbirds, with 

 their nearly functionless legs, that build most elaborate 

 little cradles, scarcely surpassed anywhere in the wide 

 range of varied bird architecture. On the other hand, 

 some species of swallows put up mud-fabrics that are gen- 

 uine works of art. The magpie builds a formidable for- 

 tress. The tailor-bird, weaver and oven-bird are remark- 

 able instances of the bird-nest craft. The grosbeak's nest 

 is a perfect circle composed of a variety of carefully selected 

 material, and artistically arranged on small trees and usu- 

 ally not more than five to ten feet from the ground. The 

 chimney swift constructs its nest in an anomalous way. It 

 is attractive both in point of beauty and workmanship. 



