OPEN NESTS 177 



or by the aid of tenacious cobwebs roped round nest 

 and branch. They are rather small cup-shaped 

 structures, four or five inches in external diameter, 

 and composed of slender twigs and coarse grass 

 cemented with spiders' webs and garnished outside 

 with scraps of lichen, moss, bark, and cocoons. 

 Passing on to the Orioles (Oriolidae) we are intro- 

 duced to another and somewhat different type of 

 open nest. This is of the usual open form, but is 

 slung hammock or cradle like from some forking 

 branch. The Orioles are skilful weavers and 

 thoroughly felt the materials together, enclosing 

 the supporting twMgs near the rim of the nest on 

 either side. The most familiar species to us is the 

 Golden Oriole (Oriolus galbula), which builds a nest 

 that cannot be confused with the abode of any other 

 European bird. This nest is slung from a fork of 

 some horizontal branch (an oak, perhaps, by prefer- 

 ence), and is made externally of the leaves of sedge 

 and narrow strips of bark, these being twisted 

 round the twigs in many places, and often inter- 

 mixed with dry leaves and even bits of paper. The 

 lining chiefly consists of the stalks and flowers of 

 grasses. Of course these materials vary a good 

 deal according to the species that uses them, but 

 the general plan of the nest is very similar through- 

 out the group. We may pass over the birds 

 popularly known as Hang-nests (Icteridae), for their 

 cradles must be reserved for a future chapter, 



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