238 BIRDS' NESTS 



and are likely to remain so until a knowledge of the 

 external characters of many " Flycatchers " is supple- 

 mented by a wider range of anatomical facts than 

 is now at the service of ornithologists. Many of the 

 tropical species are adepts at concealing their cup- 

 shaped nests in the crevices of moss-draped trees and 

 rocks and banks, skilfully assimilating them, in not a 

 few cases, with surrounding objects. Others build 

 partially domed nests in holes under banks, the shape 

 of the cradle conforming to that of the aperture in 

 which the pretty home is placed, often so filling it 

 that merely the round entrance is visible. Another, 

 an Indian species, Anthipes leucops, builds a globular 

 nest of grass leaves, and a few dead bamboo leaves, 

 lined with grass stems, placed amongst upright forks 

 in bushes, or masses of creeping plants, or roots. 



Much more is known concerning the nesting 

 arrangements of the Swallows (Hirundinidas). These 

 birds build their nests far more frequently in open 

 and exposed situations, where they are compara- 

 tively easily detected, although very often they 

 are difficult of access. We have already made a 

 brief allusion to some of the species making open 

 nests (although these are generally in concealed or 

 covered sites), it now becomes necessary to describe 

 a selection from the various types of domed or 

 roofed nests made by others. Beginning w^th the 

 best known, we cannot do better than examine the 

 procreant cradle of our own familiar House Martin 



