NATURALISTS CABINET. 



Precaution against monkey!) and snakes. 



of moss, which it glues together by some viscous 

 substance, extracted from the trees: these are 

 curiously suspended from the extremities of the 

 different branches, having a small hole on one 

 side, just big enough for the little artist to enter, 

 and cherish its young. 



" There is not in the whole history of nature," 

 says a modern writer, " a more singular instance 

 of the sagacity of those little animals in protect- 

 ing themselves against such enemies as they have 

 most occasion to fear. In cultivated countries a 

 great part of the caution of the feathered tribe is 

 to hide or defend their nests from the invasions 

 of man, as he is their most dreaded enemy; but 

 in the depth of those remote and solitary forests, 

 where man is but seldom seen, the little bird has 

 nothing to apprehend from him. The parent is 

 careless how much the nest is exposed to general 

 notice, if the monkey and snake can be guarded 

 against. For this purpose its nest is built upon 

 the depending points of the most outward 

 branches of a tall tree, such as the banana, or 

 the plantane. On one of those immense trees is 

 seen the most various, and the most inimical as- 

 semblage of creatures that can be imagined. 

 The top is inhabited by monkeys of some parti- 

 cular tribe, that drive off all others ; lower clown 

 twine about the great trunk numbers of the 

 larger snakes, patiently waiting till some unwary 

 Animal comes within the sphere of their activity ; 

 at the edges of the tree hang these artificial 



