THE COMMUNITIES OF BIRDS 



The description given by Paterson appeared fabulous ; but it has 

 been confirmed by Levaillant, who frequently encountered in Africa, 



studied, and investigated the strange 

 community. The engraving given in 

 the " Architecture of Birds" enables the 

 reader more readily to comprehend his 

 narration. It is the image of an im- 

 mense umbrella planted on a tree, and 

 shading under its common roof more 

 than three hundred habitations. " I 

 caused it to be brought to me," says 

 Levaillant, " by several men, who set it 

 on a vehicle. I cut it with an axe, 

 \ and saw that it was in the main a mass 

 \ of Booschmannie grass, without any 

 I mixture, but so strongly woven together 

 f j that it was impossible for the rain to 

 i penetrate. This is only the framework 

 of the edifice ; each bird constructs for 

 himself a separate nest under the com- 

 mon pavilion. The nests occupy only the 

 reverse of the roof; the upper part remains 

 empty, without, however, being useless ; for, 

 raised more than the remainder of the pile, 

 it gives to the whole a sufficient inclination, 

 and thus preserves each little habitation. 

 In two words, let the reader figure to him- 

 self a great oblique and irregular roof, whose 

 edge in the interior is garnished with nests ranged 

 close to one another, and he will have an exact 

 idea of these singular edifices. 



" Each nest is three or four inches in dia- 

 meter, which is sufficiently large for the bird ; 

 but as they are in close contact around the roof, they appear to the 



