228 PASSERES. STURNID*:. 



shrivelling. But I am very uncertain what the 

 substance is ; some say it is the Tillandsia us- 

 neoides or " Old man's beard," a very common 

 tree-parasite, but it assuredly is not this ; I have 

 suspected it to be the fibrous stem of the Dodder, 

 dried; a nest newly made, I observed to be of 

 the bright buff hue of that plant, whence I pre- 

 sumed that the stems are sometimes taken in a 

 recent, and even a growing state. A friend tells 

 me, that he has, with much gratification, watched 

 the process of building. The hairs or threads 

 are procured one by one, and carried to the select- 

 ed spot, where they are deposited in a loose heap. 

 From this accumulated mass of material, the work 

 is carried on, and progresses rapidly, when once 

 begun. When a few threads are laid and inter- 

 laced for the base, the work becomes perceptible 

 and interesting. Both birds work together; one 

 taking a thread, and weaving-in one end, holds 

 down the loose part with his beak ; while his mate 

 takes the ends of others projecting, and lays them 

 tightly down over it, interweaving them with others. 

 Other threads are crossed in the same manner, in 

 every direction, until a slight but very compact 

 purse is made, resembling a loose cloth. As it 

 hangs, the texture is so thin, that a person below 

 can discern the eggs or young within. Four eggs 

 are laid, pointed at the less end: they are 

 white, marked with a few angular scratches, and 

 large spots of deep brown, and measure 1 inch by 

 ^. If an intruder attempt to rifle the nest when 

 the young are there, both old birds fly round in 



