PERCHING BIRDS. 141 



Where all are wonderful, it seems almost invi- 

 dious to select examples ; but I will mention the 

 nests of two of our native birds the LONGTAILED 

 TITMOUSE and the SWALLOW. 



The former builds a singularly curious and 

 elegant nest, of a long oval form, with a small 

 hole in the side, near the top, as an entrance; 

 the outside is formed of moss, woven or matted 

 together with the silken shrouds or cocoons of 

 insects, and covered all over with the tree and 

 stone lichens, fixed with fine threads of the same 

 silken material. From this thatch the rain trickles 

 off without penetrating, while, from its similarity 

 in colour and appearance to the bark of the branch, 

 or the foliage of the shrub on which it is placed, it 

 is not easily discovered. The inside is thickly lined 

 with a profusion of feathers, the soft webs of which 

 are laid inwards, with the quills or points stuck 

 into the outside fabric. 



As for the SWALLOW, its mode of operation is 

 entirely dissimilar from all others. The crust, or 

 shell of its nest seems to be formed of such mud 

 or loam as comes most readily to hand, tempered 

 and wrought together with little bits of broken 

 straws, to render it tough and tenacious ; and that 

 the work may not, while it is soft and yielding, 

 pull itself down by its own weight, the bird has 

 prudence and judgment enough not to advance 



