THE PENSILE WARBLER. 239 



Sagacity in building and protecting its nest. 



city in building and placing its nest. She does 

 not fix it at the forking of the branches, as is 

 usual with most other birds; but suspends it to 

 binders hanging from the netting which she 

 forms from tree to tree, especially those which 

 fall from branches that hang over the rivers and 

 deep ravines. The nest consists of dry blades of 

 grass, the ribs of leaves, and exceedingly small 

 roots, interwoven with the greatest art; it is fas- 

 tened on, or rather it is worked into, the pendent 

 strings. It is in fact a small bed, rolled into a 

 ball, so thick and compacted as to exclude the 

 rain; and it rocks in the wind without receiving 

 any harm. The elements, however, are not the 

 only enemies against which this bird has to 

 struggle : with wonderful sagacity it provides 

 for the protection of its nest from other acci- 

 dents. The opening is not made on the top nor 

 side of the nest, but at the bottom. Nor is the 

 entrance direct. After the bird has made its way 

 into the vestibule, it must pass over a kind of 

 partition, and through another aperture, before it 

 descends into the abode of its family. This 

 lodgment is round and soft ; being lined with a 

 species of lichen, which grows on the trees, or 

 with the silky down of plants. 



These birds are natives of St. Domingo, and 

 some other of the islands of the West Indies, 

 where they feed chiefly on insects and fruit. 



