106 LIFE-HISTORIES OF IURDS 



'been said to be used to strengthen the exterior of the fabric, 

 have never been observed by us. In lieu thereof, a few cob- 

 webs are occasionally noticed. The nests are ordinarily i . ^o 

 of an inch in diameter, anid nearly i./> of an inch in height. 

 The cavity is 3-4 of an inch wide at the rim, and equally as 

 deep ; although specimens have been met with which were 

 exceedingly shallow, measuring less than 1-2 inch in depth. 

 A few specimens have been found which measured fully 2 

 inches in height. Nests with eggs have been taken as late as 

 the third week of July, which were possibly the work of 

 birds whose early labors had been frustrated. 



It is well known that many birds deviate considerably from 

 the typical structure, in nest-building. In some cases, this 

 concerns the shape of the nest ; but most generally, the ma- 

 terials which enter into its composition. The nest of the 

 Humming-bird sometimes betrays a want of conformity to 

 the normal type in this particular, as that of Savor //is fus- 

 cus and others that might be instanced. In the spring of 

 1876. a nest was built upon the horizontal branch of an oak 

 which overhung a by-road and within a few feet of a woollen 

 factory. Scattered upon the ground in considerable quantity 

 was a lot of reddish shoddy which had been cast away. 

 These birds were not slow in perceiving the use which could 

 be made of this material, at the saving of a deal of labor 

 and valuable time. It was not because there was a dearth 

 of customary materials in the immediate locality that this 

 shoddy was utilized, fora careful survey of the grounds sat- 

 isfied us that they could be found with not more than the 

 ordinary trouble. In view of these facts, it is evident that 

 the builders were guided not by .a mere blind instinct, but by 

 by a reason akin to our own. The nest was composed 

 entirely of this reddish shoddy, and was covered extern- 

 ally with the usual bluish-colored lichens. It measuied 

 fully 2 inches in height, and had a diameter of 1.75 inches. 

 The cavity was 3-4 of an inch wide, and nearly as deep. 

 The time spent in building a nest varies from five to six days. 



