186 CONVERSATIONS ON 



for the hatters is such hair as has most joints 

 ready to catch into each other : the rabbit's 

 hair is very good, and for that reason." 



" And is it possible, Uncle Philip, that any 

 bird can do such work as this ?" 



" Not only possible, boys, but true. There 

 are several birds very expert at making felt, 

 and their nest appears like a piece of hatter's 

 felt, or double-milled woollen cloth. I do not 

 mean to say that it is as close and solid as the 

 hat or cloth ; it would feel in your fingers 

 looser than either, still it is quite close ; and 

 when you examine it, you will find it put 

 together in the same way ; it is all carded into 

 one mass, and not woven together thread by 

 thread, or hair by hair." 



" And are there many birds able to do such 

 work, Uncle Philip?" 



" I told you, boys, that there were several. 

 The chief article which they use is wool, but 

 with this many other things will be found 

 mixed sometimes, upon the outside, fine 

 moss sometimes pieces of a spider's web rolled 

 up into a little bundle sometimes, when cotton 

 can be had, they will use small bunches of 

 cotton-wool ; but sheep's wool they must have, 

 and by means of that, they contrive to make, 



