OUR FEATHERED ENGINEERS. 81 



and the other domed and intricately woven in the 

 branches of trees and bushes. The Sparrow's 

 powers of weaving are admirably illustrated in 

 this latter form of nest. Grass, straws, and very 

 often twine and worsted, are all woven together 

 so skilfully that it is a difficult matter to pull the 

 nest to pieces. This outer structure is further 

 lined with quantities of feathers, wool, and any 

 soft material the birds may chance to find. I 

 have even seen them pulling hemp from the 

 frayed end of a clothes-line. Both birds build 

 the nest and collect materials. Another clever 

 weaver is the Golden Oriole, which suspends its 

 beautiful nest between a horizontal fork of a 

 branch, the various materials sedges, dry grass, 

 and leaves, and often scraps of newspaper all 

 being deftly woven. The materials of the rim of 

 the nest are wound round and round the support- 

 ing branches, strips of bass often being used for 

 the purpose. There are many other birds to be 

 classed among the present division ; but as they 

 are most of them inhabitants of foreign lands a 

 detailed description of their handiwork is scarcely 

 required. Specially interesting, however, are the 

 Hang-Nests of the New World, and the Weaver 

 Birds, and many small Finches of Africa and 

 India. Some of these pensile nests are remark- 

 ably beautiful and curious, being suspended from 

 slender branches, often over water, where all save 

 winged enemies are set at defiance. The Buntings, 

 Larks, Pipits, and Chats, are all clever weavers. 



