. PENSILE NESTS OP THE CASSIQUES. 305 



her nest is formed of dry blades of grass, the ribs of leaves, and 

 very small roots, all twined together in the most ingenious 

 manner into a compact ball, and suspended to a netting which 

 she has previously drawn from tree to tree, so that this curiously- 

 constructed mansion rocks to and fro with the wind, secure 

 from the assaults of her numerous enemies.' 



But however skilful our native workmen may be, their con- 

 structions are surpassed by those of many of their relatives ii 

 the torrid zone, where a more energetic development of 

 animal life naturally renders the struggle for existence more 

 intense, and increases the danger to which every species is sub- 

 ject. Thus the American cassiques suspend their large pendulous 

 nests, which often exceed a yard in length, at the extremities 

 of lofty branches, as far as possible from all enemies that might 

 by climbing reach the brood ; and frequently choose, for still 

 further protection, trees on which the wasps or maribondas 

 have already built their nests, for these are adversaries whose 

 sharp stings no monkey or tiger-cat would desire to face. 



The crested cassique, the largest of the family, builds his 

 pensile nest, artificially woven of lichens, bark, fibre, and the 

 filaments of the tillandsias, on the tallest trees close to the 

 habitation of man; while that of the tupuba (Cassicus ruber), 

 which is always suspended over the water, consists of dry grasses 

 with a slanting opening in the side so that no rain can penetrate 

 it. On passing under a tree which often bears hundreds of 

 cassique nests, one cannot help stopping to admire them, as 

 they wave to and fro, the sport of every breeze, and yet so well 

 constructed as rarely to be injured by the severest storm. Often 

 numbers of one species may be seen weaving their nests on one 

 side of a tree, while numbers of another species are busy forming 

 theirs on the opposite side of the same plant ; and what is 

 perhaps even still more wonderful than their architectural skill, 

 though such near neighbours, the females of these contiguous 

 colonies are never observed to quarrel. 



The Baltimore oriole (Yphantes Baltimore), a bird closely 

 allied to the cassiques, builds his wonderful nest on the tulip- 

 tree, whose leaves and flowers are his chief hunting-grounds for 

 caterpillars and beetles. When the time is come to provide a 

 cradle for the future progeny, the male gathers the long filaments 

 of the tillandsia or other threadlike materials, and fastens one 



