144 STRANGE DWELLINGS. 



and Hanging Bird, from the beautiful pensile nest which it 

 makes. 



The general shape of these nests is much the same in every 

 specimen, and a good idea of it may be formed from the illus- 

 tration, which was taken from a nest in my own possession. 

 It is almost entirely made of vegetable fibres, and is so strongly 

 constructed, that, although it had been knocked about for 

 some years in the neglected spot whence I rescued it, and was 

 once crushed into a shapeless mass at the bottom of a wine 

 hamper by a careless servant, and covered with soot and dust, 

 it has retained its form, and shows perfectly well how the 

 fastening to the branches was managed. 



The materials of the nest are, however, extremely variable, 

 the bird having a natural genius for nidification, and being 

 always ready to take advantage of any new discovery in archi- 

 tecture. One of tliese nests, described by Wilson, was deeper 

 in proportion than the specimen which has been figured, being 

 five inches in its widest diameter and seven in depth, the 

 opening being contracted to two and a half inches. Various 

 materials, such as flax, tow, hair, and wool, were woven into 

 the walls, which were strengthened by horsehairs, some two 

 feet in length, sewn through and through the fabric. Cow's 

 hair was also employed for the bottom of the nest, and, like 

 the walls, was sewn together with long horsehairs. 



The same writer remarks, that ' so solicitous is the Baltimore 

 to procure proper materials for his nest, that in the season of 

 building, the women in the country are under the necessity 

 of narrowly watching their threads that may chance to be out 

 bleaching, and the farmer to secure his young grafts ; as the 

 Baltimore, finding the former, and the strings which tie the 

 latter, so' well adapted for his purpose, frequently carries off 

 both. Or, should the one be over heavy, and the other too 

 firmly tied, he will try at them for a considerable time before 

 he gives up the attempt. Skeins of silk and hanks of threatl 

 have often been found, after the leaves were fallen, hanging 

 round the Baltimore's nest, but so woven up and entangled as 

 to be entirely irreclaimable 



