?34 LITTLE HOUSE-BUILDER SCISSOR-BEAK. 



OVEN-BIRDS. 



Of the genus Furnarius there are several species. The best 

 known is the oven-bird of La Plata the casara, or house-maker, 

 of the Spaniards. It builds its nest in an exposed situation, on 

 the top of a vast bare rock or cactus. It is composed of mud and 

 bits of straw, and has strong, thick walls its shape being pre- 

 cisely that of an oven, or depressed bee-hive. The opening is 

 large and arched, and directly in front. Within the nest there 

 is a partition which reaches nearly to the roof, thus forming a 

 passage or ante-chamber to the true nest. 



THE LITTLE HOUSE-BUILDER. 



There is another species of Furnarius, which the Spaniards 

 call the casarita, or little house-builder. This species builds 

 its nest at the bottom of a narrow cylindrical hole, which ex- 

 tends horizontally to nearly six feet under ground. It gener- 

 ally chooses the side of a low bank, but sometimes penetrates 

 the mud walls round the houses, through which it works its 

 way, frequently very much to its disappointment coming 

 out unexpectedly on the opposite side. 



THE SCISSOR-BEAK. 



The scissor-beak (Rhynchops nigra) frequents the lakes and 

 streams. It is about the size of a tern, with short legs, webbed 

 feet, and extremely long, pointed wings. The beak is flattened 

 laterally, and the lower mandible is an inch and a half longei 

 than the upper. When flying along in small flocks, close tc 

 the surface of a lake, the birds keep their bills wide open, th< 

 lower mandible half buried in the water. In their flight .thej 

 frequently twist about with extreme swiftness, managing, witl 



