NEST OF FUR. 53 



circumstance to his advantage, and the strongest 

 and best materials are uniformly found in those 

 parts by which the whole is supported. 



The nest of the Hudson's Bay titmouse presents 

 us with an instance of a nest composed entirely of 

 animal substances. One of these nests was found 

 by Audubon in a hollow tree. It was shaped like 

 a purse, eight inches in depth, two in diameter 

 inside, and its sides were about half an inch thick. 

 It was entirely composed of the finest fur of 

 different quadrupeds, but principally of the great 

 northern hare, so thickly and ingeniously matted 

 together throughout, that it looked as if it had been 

 felted by the hand of man. It was quite elastic 

 throughout, and rather wider below than above. 



Into by far the greater number of nests, 

 however, a variety of different materials enter. 

 While the intricate framework is very frequently 

 composed of vegetable materials, the lining is 

 generally derived from the animal kingdom. But 

 no rule can be laid down in this respect which is 

 not subject to an infinite number of exceptions. 

 Our familiar friend the red-breast employs the 

 most odd variety of materials for its little fabric 

 in some circumstances. In an instance mentioned 



