92 BIRDS' NESTS 



member of the family Dendrocolaptidae, the Loch- 

 mias nematura of ornithologists, a species inhabiting 

 South America. I believe Dr Goeldi was the first 

 naturalist correctly and fully to describe the domestic 

 arrangements of this interesting bird. From his 

 contribution to the Ibis I derive the following facts. 

 This beautiful bird, known to the people of Minas 

 Geraes by the uncomplimentary nickname " Presi- 

 dente da porcaria," in consequence of its partiality for 

 dirty places, builds its nest at the end of a nearly 

 horizontal burrow, the end of which gallery being 

 enlarged into a spacious cavity to contain it. The 

 next, which Dr Goeldi was able to remove entire after 

 much careful excavation, is described by him as 

 wonderfully large, reminding him of that of the 

 European Dipper. " Like that it is a vaulted globe 

 with a lateral entrance. The exterior is made of 

 small roots and branches ; the interior lining consists 

 of regularly-crossed dry bamboo leaves. The walls of 

 the central cavity especially are very well made, and con- 

 sist of crossed bamboo leaves woven in a really artistic 

 manner. The sagittal diameter of the nest is 13-5 cm., 

 the transverse 12-5 cm. The entrance aperture has 

 a diameter of 3*5 cm. The thickness of the walls is 

 everywhere less than 3 cm." Dr Goeldi further states 

 that there is a striking resemblance between the size 

 and shape of this nest with that of the Oven-bird. 

 The materials and situation of the latter, however, 

 are very different, notwithstanding the fact that the 



