WILD LIFE OF ORCHARD AND FIELD 



or stout artificial threads, around two or more 

 forked twigs, corresponding to the intended width 

 and depth of the nest. With the same materials, 

 willow down, or any accidental ravellings, strings, 

 thread, sewing-silk, tow, or wool that may be lying 

 near the neighboring houses or around grafts of 

 trees, they interweave and fabricate a sort of coarse 

 cloth into the form intended, towards the bottom of 

 which they place the real nest, made chiefly of lint, 

 wiry grass, horse and cow hair ; sometimes, in de- 

 fect of hair, lining the interior with a mixture of 

 slender strips of smooth vine bark, and rarely with 

 a few feathers; the whole being of a considerable 

 thickness and more or less attached to the external 

 pouch. Over the top the leaves, as they grow out, 

 form a verdant and agreeable canopy, defending 

 the young from the sun and rain. There is some- 

 times a considerable difference in the manufacture 

 of these nests, as well as in the materials which 

 enter into their composition. Both sexes seem to 

 be equally adepts at this sort of labor; and I have 

 seen the female alone perform the whole without 

 any assistance, and the male also complete this 

 laborious task nearly without the aid of his con- 

 sort, who, however, in general, is the principal 

 worker. " 



254 



