S/Z MR. RAMSAY ON THK FOSTERJ'ARENTS OF CUCKOOS. [Dec. 13, 



branches of almost any tree or bush, where it seeks for minute in- 

 sects and the larvse of various minute Lepidoptera. 



Nest of Acanthiza lineata. 



The nest of the Lineated Acanthiza is one of the most beautiful of 

 those of our Australian birds. It is a neat, oval, compact, and re- 

 markably strong structure, in length A\ to 5 inches, by 3 inches 

 through, composed of fine shreads of stringy bark, closely interwoven, 

 and frequently ornamented with pieces of white spiders' nests. It 

 is lined warmly with feathers, opossum-fur, or the silky down from 

 the seed-pods of the native cotton-tree. 



The nest is suspended to a thin twig at the end of some leafy 

 bough by the top ; and the small opening, about 2 inches down the 

 side, is neatly covered with a hood, which excludes both the sun and 

 rain. Some of the nests are without any ornament ; others are de- 

 corated with pieces of white paper-bark, or with green and white 

 spiders' nests. Long streamers of bleached seaweed are also often 

 used ; and when the nests are placed in the gullies of the ranges, a 

 beautiful bright-green string-like Hypnuin is employed. 



