BIRDS' NESTS. 81 



to the top of a plane-tree, he poured forth his 

 sweet and powerful song, and continued to do 

 so nearly all day. He gave her but little 

 assistance, thinking, no doubt, that his music 

 was enough to lighten her fatigues, and to 

 support her under them. Between eight and 

 nine she was most actively employed, for during 

 the space of ten minutes, she sometimes carried 

 in four, five, and even six bundles of leaves, 

 about the fitness of which for her purpose she 

 seemed to be very careful for I observed that, 

 afte* examining them most carefully, she let 

 drop what did not suit her. After having 

 made the foundation firm, by pressing the 

 leaves with her breast, and turning herself 

 round upon them in all directions, she began 

 to raise its sides. In this operation, however, 

 she was not so expeditious, as she was under 

 the necessity of flying to a greater distance for 

 materials, in the search of which she sometimes 

 remained out eight and ten minutes. "From 

 the inside she built the under part of the 



