384 TROPICAL BIRD LIFE IN BOTH HEMISPHERES 



from the shrub, spins it to a thread by means of its long bill 

 and slender feet, and then, as with a needle, sows the leaves 

 neatly together to conceal its nest. Who, on witnessing these 

 miracles of instinct, would not exclaim with the poet : 



" Behold a bird's nest ! 

 Mark it well, within, without ! 

 No tool had he that wrought, no knife to cut ; 

 No nail to fix, no bodkin to insert, 

 No glue to join : his little beak was all ! 

 And yet how neatly finish'd ! What nice hand, j 



With every implement and means of art, 

 Could compass such another ! " 



On turning to the wilds of Africa the Grros-beak affords us 

 a no less wonderful example of nest-building, for here we find, 

 not one single pair, but hundreds living under the same roof, 

 perfectly resembling that of a thatched house, and with a pro- 

 jecting ridge, so that it is impossible for any reptile to approach 

 the entrances concealed below. " Their industry," says Pater- 

 son, their first discoverer (" Travels in Africa "), " seems almost 

 equal to that of the bee ; throughout the day they appear to be 

 busily employed in carrying a fine species of grass, which is the 

 principal material they employ for the purpose of erecting this 

 extraordinary work, as well as for additions and repairs. Though 

 my short stay in the country was not sufficient to satisfy me, by 

 ocular proof, that they added to their nest as they annually 

 increased in numbers, still from the many trees which I have 

 seen borne down by the weight, and others which I have observed 

 with their boughs completely covered over, it would appear that 

 this really was the case. When the tree which is the support of 

 this aerial city is obliged to give way to the increase of weight, it 

 is obvious they are no longer protected, and are under the neces- 

 sity of rebuilding in other trees. One of these deserted nests I 

 had the curiosity to break down, so as to inform myself of ita 

 internal structure, and I found it equally ingenious with that 

 of the external. There are many entrances, each of which 

 forms a separate street with nests on both sides, at about two 

 inches distant from each other. The grass with which they aret 

 built is called the Boshman's grass, and I believe the seed of it 

 to be their principal food ; though, on examining their nests, I 

 found the wings and legs of different insects. From every ap-< 



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