106 THE LIFE OF A BIRD. 



scarcely a fibre of the grass or hay, of which it is 

 composed, projecting. The neck portion is thinner 

 than the bulbous part, its texture being more open 

 and transparent. The enlarged end, on the 

 contrary, is thickly woven, being intended as 

 the receptacle for the eggs and young of the clever 

 architect. The singular manner in which this 

 nest is suspended is worthy of all admiration. In 

 the specimen figured, the bird had selected the 

 pendent branch of a tree, the leaves of which are 

 arranged in a fan-like manner, and are long and 

 narrow.* Selecting two of these long, ribbon- 

 like leaves, the bird as it proceeded with its 

 structure interwove them with the materials, one 

 on each side, just at the bending downwards of the 

 funnel-shaped neck. By this means, the bulbous 

 portion resting on the fan of leaves behind, and 

 the nest slung to the branch by the employ- 

 ment of its leaves, it is most securely hung. 

 So ingeniously has this been effected, in fact, that 

 to any one who did not closely examine the fabric, 

 it would appear that it had been hung in this way 

 for the simple purpose of exhibition. 



By the side of this wonderful structure is another 

 * The tree is probably one of the palm family. 



