THE TAILOR-BIRD. 37 



packed with impunity. Besides, the bitter struggle for exis- 

 tence in a cold climate requires a considerable prolificacy to 

 keep a small weak species going against many risks. Now, 

 though Durzee has doubtless a great many ill-wishers, his 

 food-supply is never likely to fail, nor is it ever cold enough 

 in his home to nip the smallest bird, seeing that he only 

 inhabits warm climates, not ascending our hills more than 

 4,000 feet, and only ranging, outside India, into Burma, 

 Siam, and South China. Needless to say, he is not a mi- 

 gratory bird, and any day at all seasons his tiny form may 

 be noticed in our gardens even in the middle of the town. 

 Here, then, is an opportunity for any of our amateur natu- 

 ralists. It is doubtful if every detail of the building of 

 Durzee' s nest has ever been watched, as it has in the case 

 of our other wonderful architect, the weaver ; and any one 

 who can locate a pair of Tailor-birds in his or her compound, 

 and, penetrating into their secrets, tell us exactly how the 

 thing is done, they will be doing a service to ornithology ; 

 so much is there to study even in our commonest birds 

 here, for India is the home of wonderful nest-builders 

 There are other warblers in the tailoring trade besides 

 Orthotomus, and curiously enough these also are non-mi- 

 gratory birds of insignificant vocal attainments ; the 

 migratory warblers, who do most of the warbling, like qur 

 blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) at home, being nothing out of 

 the way as architects. Darwin has observed that beauty 

 and the power of song seem to a great extent to replace 

 each other ; the songlessness of beautiful birds is almost 

 proverbial. And similarly songsters do not seem to run to 

 architecture, and vice versa ; the tailor and weaver are 



