CONCEALED OR COVERED NESTS 93 



two birds are somewhat closely allied {coiif. p. 244 

 for a description of this nest). 



Another species in the same family {Sclerurns 

 umhretta) nests in a very similar manner, but the 

 nest is a flat and open one, intricately interwoven 

 and composed entirely of dry leaf ribs. It burrows 

 into banks and the nest chamber is a circular one, 

 both tunnel and chamber being smooth and clean. 

 Lastly, we may mention that some of the species in 

 the Passerine family Pteroptochids excavate tunnels 

 several feet in length in banks, at the end of these 

 galleries constructing their nests in a slightly enlarged 

 chamber. 



Other remarkable tunnelled nests are made by 

 species belonging to a remotely allied group, of which 

 our own familiar Kingfisher (Alcedo ispida) is typical. 

 Some of the species belonging to the family Alcedinidae, 

 however, prefer to nest in holes of trees, or in hollows 

 scooped out of termites' nests placed in eucalyptus 

 trees. These are the Laughing Kingfishers (Dacelo), 

 whilst another Australian species {Tanysiptera sylvia) 

 bores a tunnel into an ant-hill for nesting purposes. 

 Although Kingfishers not unfrequently take possession 

 of a deserted rat hole, or some other similar conveni- 

 ent burrow, they are quite capable of boring one for 

 themselves, as they very often do. These tunnels are 

 usually excavated in some suitable spot on the steep 

 banks of a stream, but sometimes they may be made 

 in the sides of gravel pits, in the sides of ant-bears' 



