CURIOUS NESTS. IN AFRICA. 219 



to beholders, and equally so to the Goldfinches ; accordingly, 

 they were observed to fasten by a $mall string they had 

 picked up, the bending twig to a stronger and higher branch 

 of the tree, and thus their nest was saved. 



Another pair happened to build in the garden of a 

 naturalist, who was fond of observing the manners and habits 

 of birds. They had formed the ground-work with moss and 

 dried grass as usual, but on his scattering small pieces of 

 wool, they in a great measure left off the use of the first 

 materials, and employed the wool. He next provided them 

 with cotton, which they immediately collected ; the third day 

 he supplied them with down, on which they forsook both the 

 others, and finished their work with it. 



It is surprising, too, with what rapidity, in cases of emer- 

 gency, these small birds can build a nest. A Canary was 

 observed to commence her labours about five o'clock in the 

 morning, from which time till near seven she worked so hard, 

 that it was completely finished ; she had been often disturbed 

 before, in consequence of building in inconvenient places, 

 which probably induced her to use more than ordinary 

 despatch in this nest, availing herself of early hours, before 

 people were likely to see and interfere. 



An African traveller speaks of some singular nests built by 

 birds, which he describes as resembling our Goldfinch ; but 

 he probably mistook them for a family of birds nearly allied 

 to them, and known to inhabit the Cape of Good Hope. For 

 although Bishop Heber found Goldfinches* at the foot of the 

 Snowy Mountains in India, and in some other parts where 

 they are caught and sold for about two shillings each, we are 

 not aware that they are known in Africa. The account 

 of the nest, however, is very curious, and, at all events, illus- 

 trates the social manners of a set of little birds, like " brethren 

 dwelling together in unity." A tree at a little distance from 

 our wagon, says the traveller who noticed the fact,*)* had 

 two remarkable nests in it. The one was about four yards 



* The Goldfinch of the East Indies is the Carduelis carriceps, a bird 

 mucli resembling, but not exactly the same as our British species, 

 t CAMPBELL'S Travels in Africa. 



