24 CRUSOE'S ISLAND. 



was many times as large and as long, tlie largest that 

 I saw being live feet from one end to the other! 

 Inside this aerial cradle, suspended from the high- 

 hung palm leaf, the eggs and young of its builders 

 would be safe from prowling monkeys and preda- 

 tory boys. 'No gale could shake it loose from its 

 attachments, not even the hurricane ; and, as the en- 

 trance to the nest was high up, near its throat, its 

 occupants might with safety stay within it and laugh 

 in the face of the storm. 



And its builders? They are called yellowtails, 

 in the island where I found them and their nests ; 

 but the naturalists have named them the crested cas- 

 sican (in Latin, Icteros cassieus\ owing to their hel- 

 met-like crest and yellow color. 



Having secured some more nests, and also speci- 

 mens of the birds, I pushed on into the forest until I 

 reached a deep ravine, where the rocks and trees com- 

 bined almost hid the sun and sky. It was very dark 

 and gloomy there, and before I had explored the 

 place well the shades of night were gathering; for 

 time passes quickly, as we all know, when we are 

 constantly employed. I saw a great hawk sitting on 

 the topmost branch of a high tree, and fired my gun, 

 with the intention of bringing it to the ground. Un-' 

 til the moment that I fired the woods had been almost 

 as silent as a tomb, but at that instant there broke 

 out a perfect storm of strange cries, as though all 

 the animals of the forest had awakened from deep 

 sleep. 



I was startled, but in the midst of the confusion I 



