178 BIRDS' NESTS 



although we ought to mention at least one or two 

 instances of a variation from the usual type of 

 pendulous nest. One of these is made by an 

 aberrant member of the family popularly known in 

 Lower Amazonia as the "Aritana" {Gymnomystax 

 melanicterus). It is deeply cup-shaped, more re- 

 sembling that of a Thrush, and is composed of grass 

 leaves (both split and entire), slender roots, and 

 fragments of small climbing plants. For these 

 particulars we are indebted to the researches of 

 Dr Goeldi, first recorded in the Ibis (1897, p. 367). 

 Other members of this family build open nests, 

 such, for instance, as some of the Crackles. 



The nests of the Weaver-birds (Ploceidae) are 

 almost invariably domed or pendulous, so that we 

 are not concerned with them at present, and our 

 next assemblage of open nest-builders will consist 

 of the Tanagers (Tanagridas). The architecture of 

 these birds is not particularly striking, the nests 

 being as a rule somewhat flat and shallow, and often 

 placed or " saddled " on horizontal boughs, although 

 a domed type occasionally occurs {conf. p. 242). The 

 Tanagers are exclusively confined to America, by 

 far the greater number of species inhabiting the 

 Neotropical region. Their usual nest materials are 

 twigs, roots, fibres, leaves, and moss, but the lining 

 is not particularly soft or plentiful. Passing over 

 the nests of the Sugar-birds (Casrebid^), which are 

 domed, we arrive at a very extensive family of 



