162 INTR< DUCTION, 



not generally take an interest in such productions. 

 Many of the Sun-birds breed in the clefts and hol- 

 lows, or worm-eaten trunks of trees, where no nest 

 possessing external interest is found ; * others place 

 the " nest among thick bushes, and form it of the 

 down of plants, covering it externally with lichens 

 or fine mosses, t Of the nest of an Indian species 

 Dr. Latham thus writes, upon the authority of 

 General Hardwicke, " The nest composed of fine 

 downy materials, mixed with a few dead leaves, in 

 shape nearly globular, about three inches in diame- 

 ter, and at bottom runs to a point, at least four 

 inches beyond it ; the entrance at the top, and on 

 one side, next to the branch to which it is attached, 

 has a kind of hood or cover over the entrance." J 

 In most, where we have any notice of them, the eggs 

 are described as of a pale colour, bluish, grey, or 

 reddish, with brown or greenish spots ; in the Hum- 

 ming-birds they are generally white. The nest of 

 the -A 7 , goalparensis is represented by Professor 

 Koyle as suspended, and having the hole or en- 

 trance near the upper part, the materials of which 

 it is constructed being rather coarse. From these 

 descriptions and the next, the character of the nests 

 of the Indian species partakes more of those of the 

 Orthotomi and tailor warblers. Mr. Jerdon writes 

 of the C. MahrattensiS) " I have seen the nest of 

 'this pretty little bird close to a house at Jaumah. 



* Vaillant, Sucrier eblouisant, S. velour. 



t Ditto, S. Oranga. 



Lath. Gen. Hist., iv. p. 233. 



