DOMED OR ROOFED NESTS 235 



fern-roots, a few bents, and one or two twigs, the 

 lining consisting of skeleton leaves alone. Mr Baker, 

 the discoverer of the species, describes this nest as a 

 deep cup with the back wall much prolonged, though 

 not sufficient to form a roof or porch. Lastly, I may 

 remark that some other species of Wrens form purse- 

 like nests, with a long passage of woven materials for 

 an entrance. 



The next family with which we are concerned in 

 the present chapter is that ill-defined and ill-assorted 

 heterogeneous assemblage vaguely termed Timeliid^. 

 As we have already seen, the nests of birds provision- 

 ally included in this ornithological refuse heap present 

 an immense amount of variation. Domed, or globular, 

 or roofed structures largely prevail, but limits of space 

 will only permit of a few of them being noticed here. 

 Some of the most interesting of these nests are made 

 by the species included in the genus Pomatorhinus. 

 Some of the Australian members of it make huge 

 domed nests of twigs with a spout-like entrance, lined 

 with feathers and placed at the extremity of branches. 

 Various other species, found in India, make completely 

 or nearly globular nests. Thus the nest of Pomator- 

 hinus phayrii is a globular structure formed of bamboo 

 leaves, more or less mixed with bracken and fern 

 fronds and grass, the latter material also forming the 

 lining. Contrary to the usual custom of these Poma- 

 torhini, which generally build on or near to the ground, 

 this bird places its nest from four to seven feet above 



