78 KIDIFICATION. 



where I could see the nest, not concealing my- 

 self, but remaining motionless, waiting for the 

 bird's re-appearance. I had not to wait long : 

 a loud whirr, and there she was suspended in the 

 air before her nest. She soon espied me, and 

 came within a foot of my eyes, hovering just in 

 front of my face. I remained still, however, 

 when I heard the whirring of another just above 

 me, perhaps the mate ; but I durst not look to- 

 wards him lest the turning of my head should 

 frighten the female. In a minute or two the 

 other was gone, and she alighted again on the 

 twig, where she sat some little time preening 

 her feathers, and apparently clearing her mouth 

 from the cotton fibres, for she now and then 

 swiftly projected the tongue an inch and a half 

 from the beak, continuing the same curve as 

 that of the beak. "When she arose it was to 

 perform a very interesting action ; for she flew to 

 the face of the rock, which was thickly clothed 

 with soft dry moss, and hovering on the wing as 

 if before a flower, began to pluck the moss until 

 she had a large bunch of it in her beak. Then 

 I saw her fly to the nest, and having seated her- , 

 self in it, proceed to place the new materials, 

 pressing and arranging and interweaving the 

 whole with her beak, while she fashioned the < 

 cup-like form of the interior by the pressure of 

 her white breast, moving round and round as ; 

 she sat. v My presence appeared to be no hin- j 

 drance to her proceedings, although only a few ; 



