The Oven-bird 



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period of nest-building, and the secretion is described by 

 him as a thick, adhesive slime, like unto gum-arabic. By 

 using a little stick it is possible to draw this slime out in 

 threads, and the whole supply can be extracted by twist- 



ing the stick round and round. 



Oven-bird {Furnarius rufus), and its nest (from specimens in the British Museum). 



Of all the builders of mud-nests, however, there is 

 probably none more wonderful than the Oven - bird 

 (Furnarius rufus), especially as it belongs to the South 

 American family Dendrocolaptidce or Wood- Hewers, most 

 of which are climbing-birds with stiffened tails like that 

 of our own Creeper (Certhia familiaris). As among the 



