2796 The Zoologist — Octobeu, 1871. 



the rounded cavity is beautifully shaped : sealed in the centre of 

 the rising structure, it turns round repeatedly, fluttering the wings, 

 which action keeps the wall pressed out to its proper shape, the 

 head and chin are pressed on the top, the materials pulled in 

 towards the centre : this manoeuvre is performed at iiequent in- 

 tervals. So earnest are these little workers that they scarcely rest 

 for hours ; sometimes, by a sudden flutter, they obtain a few insects, 

 or the creek is visited for water ; the cock now and then finds time 

 for a brief twitter, moving its head from side io side, as if criticising 

 or admiring the result of their united exertions, but quickly both 

 are at work again. Whilst watching one of these birds drinking at 

 the creek, with an air of such evident refreshment, it occurred to 

 us that the time of incubation is an interval of 7tecessarrf rest 

 between building the home and rearing the young, those times of 

 incessant labour. 



Towards the completion of the home, as it assumes a cup-like 

 form, a still more abundant use of cobweb may be noticed, the 

 festoons are multiplied, the wall being finished off with numberless 

 ties and braces ; the interior is now lined with fern-down, the 

 slender fruit-stalks of moss, or soft material other than feathers, 

 and the structure is complete and admirably finished ; it is 

 warm, strong and elastic, and so well felted that it is not easily 

 pressed out of shape : it is a marvel of construction, eff'ected by the 

 beaks of two small birds which have had numberless other oflices 

 to perform ; all their food during the time has had to be found and 

 caught, assisted by no store of fruit or grain to supply their wants, 

 requiring only discocenj. A few notes are appended, which touch 

 on the peculiar form of the nest of R. flabellifera in certain 

 situations only : as far as our observations reach, several theories 

 have been aired in order to account for this singular form of 

 structure. 



January 2. — A nest was observed in a small plant of Aristotelia 

 racemosa, just above the creek, by the farm-buildings; the con- 

 struction somewhat reseujbles the homes which have been figured 

 of R. albiscapa, a portion descending in a tail-like form below the 

 spray on which the structure is built. The use of this appendage 

 is not very clear, but we have observed that part of the creek where 

 this uest was found has several bends in it : it is probable that at 

 such a turn sudden drafts or gusts of wind might, by agitating the 

 spray, endanger the safety of the eggs in a nest, the cavity of 



