THE TAYLOR BIRD. 253 



Curious construction of its nest. 



THE TAYLOR BIRD. 



THIS is also a very small bird, measuring 

 scarcely more than three inches in length. Its 

 colour is entirely yellow. 



The taylor bird is a native of India; and is re- 

 markable for nothing so much as the construc- 

 tion of its nest, which is extremely curious. This 

 is composed of two leaves; the one generally 

 dead, which it fixes, at the end of some branch, 

 to the side of a living one, by sewing both toge- 

 ther with little filaments (its bill serving as a nee- 

 dle), in the manner of a pouch or purse, and 

 open at the top. Sometimes, instead of a dead 

 leaf arid living one, two living ones are sewed 

 together ; and thus connected, they seem rather 

 the work of human art, than of an uninstructed 

 animal. After the operation of sewing is finished, 

 the cavity is lined with feathers and soft vegeta- 

 ble down. The nest and birds are together so 

 very light, that the leaves of the most exterior 

 and slender twigs of the trees are chosen for the 

 purpose ; and, thus situated, the brood is com- 

 pletely secured from the depredations of every 

 invader. 



THE KING-FISHER. 



THIS, which is the most beautiful of all the 

 British birds, is seven inches in length, and eleven 



