PROCURING THE MATERIALS. 57 



the materials for its nest, resorts to a singular 

 manoeuvre. At the next building time the birds 

 may be seen in great numbers whirling round the 

 tops of some decayed trees, as if in pursuit of in- 

 sects. They throw their bodies suddenly against 

 a twig, grapple it with their feet, and by an 

 instantaneous jerk snap it off short, and proceed 

 with it to the place intended for the nest. Here 

 the twig is glued and cemented with saliva. The 

 frigate pelican sometimes has been seen to carry 

 off twigs in a similar manner, employing, however, 

 the bill instead of the feet to seize them with. 

 Passing swiftly over the tops of trees, they break 

 off the dry twigs with the utmost ease by a single 

 grasp of this powerful instrument. 



It is a beautiful sight to behold several of these 

 birds passing and repassing with the swiftness of 

 thought over the trees whose tops are blasted : 

 their purpose appears as if accomplished by magic. 

 It sometimes happens that the bird accidentally 

 drops a stick while travelling towards its nest, 

 when not unfrequently it instantly plunges down- 

 wards after it, and seizes it before it has reached 

 the waves.* 



* Audubon : Ornithological Biography. 



