254 STRANGE DWELLINGS. 



but could not see his intended prey. The unlucky Hottentot, 

 however, peeped over the nest in order to see whether the 

 coast was clear, and was spied by the lion, who made a dash 

 at the tree. The man shrank back behind the nest, but his 

 imprudent movement brought its own punishment. 



Knowing that the ascent of the tree was impossible, and at 

 the same time unwilling to leave its prey, the lion sat down at 

 the foot of the tree, and kept watch upon the man. Hour 

 after hour the lion mounted guard over its prisoner, until thirst 

 overpowered hunger, and the animal was forced reluctantly to 

 quit its post and seek for water. The man then scrambled 

 down the tree, and made the best of his way homewards, little 

 the worse for his imprisonment except the fright, and a skin 

 scorched by long exposure to the sun. The artist has intro- 

 duced this little episode into the illustration, because it enables 

 the reader to judge of the enormous size of the nest. 



Season after season the Weaver Birds continue to add their 

 nests, until at last the branch is unable to endure the weight, 

 and comes crashing to the ground. This accident does not 

 often occur during the breeding months, but mostly takes place 

 during the rainy season, the dried grass absorbing so much 

 moisture, that the weight becomes too great for the branch to 

 bear. 



The nest group which is shown in the illustration is of 

 medium size, as can be ascertained by its shape. In its early 

 state, the nest-mass is comparatively long and narrow, spreading 

 out by degrees as the number of nests increases, so that at last 

 it is as wide and as shallow as an extended umbrella. The 

 dimensions of some of these structures may be gathered from 

 the fact, that Le Vaillant counted in one unfinished edifice, be- 

 side the deserted nests of previous seasons, no less than three 

 hundred and twenty nests, each of which was occupied by a 

 pair of birds engaged in bringing up a brood of young, four or 

 five in number. 



The Weaver Burls have but few enemies. First, there are 

 the snakes, which are such determined robbers of nests, 

 swallowing both eggs and young ; and then there are the mon- 



