vi A THEORY OF BIRDS' NESTS 127 



20. Certhiola. In these pretty little American creepers 

 the sexes are alike, and they build a domed nest. 



21. Mynahs (Sturnidae). These showy Eastern starlings 

 have the sexes exactly alike. They build in holes of trees. 



22. Calornis (Sturnidse). These brilliant metallic starlings 

 have no sexual differences. They build a pensile covered nest. 



23. Hangnests (Icteridse). The red or yellow and black 

 plumage of most of these birds is very conspicuous, and is 

 exactly alike in both sexes. They are celebrated for their 

 fine purse-shaped pensile nests. 



It will be seen that this list comprehends six important 

 families of Fissirostres, four of Scansores, the Psittaci, and 

 several genera, with three entire families of Passeres, com- 

 prising about twelve hundred species, or about one-seventh of 

 all known birds. 



The cases in which, whenever the male is gaily coloured, 

 the female is much less gay or quite inconspicuous are ex- 

 ceedingly numerous, comprising, in fact, almost all the bright- ' 

 coloured Passeres, except those enumerated in the preceding 

 class. The following are the most remarkable : 



1. Chatterers (Cotingidse). These comprise some of the 

 most gorgeous birds in the world, vivid blues, rich purples, 

 and bright reds being the most characteristic colours. The 

 females are always obscurely tinted, and are often of a 

 greenish hue, not easily visible among the foliage. 



2. Manakins (Pipridse). These elegant birds, whose caps 

 or crests are of the most brilliant colours, are usually of a 

 sombre green in the female sex. 



3. Tanagers (Tanagridse). These rival the chatterers in 

 the brilliancy of their colours, and are even more varied. The 

 females are generally of plain and sombre hues, and always 

 less conspicuous than the males. 



4. Sugar-birds (Coerebidse). The males are a beautiful 

 blue ; the females green. 



5. Pheasants (Phasianidse). These include some of the 

 most brilliant and gorgeously coloured birds in the world, 

 such as the peacock, gold and silver pheasants, fire-backed 

 pheasants, and many others ; but the females are always com- 

 paratively dull coloured, and generally of highly protective tints. 



