126 



by the tenawhit to decorate its nest perhaps to scare 

 some nocturnal spoiler. There is, besides these, the 

 fulgora diadema, which much resembles the latter 

 species, and is a native of tropical climes. 



The Indian grossbeak, alluded to by Dr. Buchanan, 

 builds its pendent nest on the highest tree, chiefly the 

 palmyra ; and this tree is particularly selected when 

 it happens to overhang a well or rivulet. These curious 

 nests are woven with grass in the shape of a calabash, 

 only more oblong ; and it thus depends from some 

 branch, swinging in the wind, the cradle nest rock- 

 ing the infant brood. The nest usually consists of 

 several compartments, and it is illuminated in the in- 

 terior with fire-flies (fulgora candelaria * ) : these are at- 

 tached by clay or some other adhesive substance. What 

 this singular investiture means, it would be no easy 

 matter to determine : whether the bird has some pas- 

 sionate fondness for an artificial illumination of its 

 abode, or it is the subject of amusement, it would be 

 difficult to determine. If it merely served for food, it 

 does not seem very likely it would glue them to the 

 walls of its tenement. The butcher-bird, however, 

 impales his victims alive on spines of thorns ; and the 

 caddis-worm makes no scruple occasionally of cement- 

 ing to his case a helix flumatilis, and its living tenant. 

 This interesting bird is very tractable and docile, and 

 may be easily taught to repeat many little tricks ; 

 such as, at a specific signal from the lover, to bring him 

 the golden ticas from between his mistress' eye-brows, 

 or even carry her a note ; and we have been told by a 

 friend, many years resident in India, that this little bird 

 is very tame, perching on the finger and accompany- 

 ing its protector, fond of being caressed. Dr. Claudius 



See Plate, fig. 2. 



