DOUBLE NESTS. 109 



lia, Mr. Gould met with a singular nest con- 

 structed by an acanthiza. The materials employed 

 are leaves, grass, and wool. The nest has a curious 

 resemblance to the figure of eight in form, and is 

 in fact a double nest. The lower and larger part 

 is the real nest, in which the female sits and 

 hatches her eggs; but above it is a second and 

 smaller nest, not intended for the purpose of in- 

 cubation. The object for which this second nest 

 is built appears probably, according to Mr. Gould, 

 in order to furnish the male bird with a comfort- 

 able couch on which he can sit, and relieve the 

 loneliness of the female during her maternal occu- 

 pations. A little bird found in Southern Africa 

 constructs a nest on the side of which a sort of 

 pouch or watch-pocket is placed, which was long 

 considered to be intended for a similar purpose. 

 It appears more probable, however, that this addi- 

 tion to the nest is intended simply as a sort of 

 perch for the birds when alighting. 



Sometimes it appears that the instinct of birds 

 leads them to make additions to their nest, some 

 of which are constant, while others are only occa- 

 sional. A very ingenious modification of this kind 

 is narrated by Mr. Jesse. The nest was one 



