on the Nesting of the Orange Bishop.



93



It was of the shape of an orange, which was characteristic, with

a slice cut straight down off the front representing the aperture,

which was as perpendicular as a house window, without entrance

lobby, retort, or shelter of any kind whatever, circular, almost

exactly two inches in diameter, and high up in the side of the

nest. In a short time the lower part became slightly pressed

down, with a corresponding drawing in of the sides, so that it

(the aperture) became higher than it was broad. The nest proper

was just about 401. high, 3^in. broad, and 2fiu. from front to

back, the inside cup being a trifle over i^in. deep, so that the

sitting bird could be seen at some distance. At first she would

“lie low,” but soon becoming used to me would look out at me

without any attempt at concealment. The nest was perfectly soft

inside, being lined with the finest material, but externally it had

the appearance of a chance lump of hay. It was moderately

firmly attached to the sticks about it but particularly at the

bottom, and, although so fragile to view, was nearly as strongly

woven together as a piece of lace, the nest coming away intact

leaving no trace behind. If it had not been erected on a good

foundation, but instead had been suspended amongst growing

stalks or the like, it is probable that the weight of the bird would

have dragged it down to the purse-sliape mentioned by some

writers. As it was, there was nothing about it to suggest that it

is the custom of the species to suspend its nest after the manner

of the Reed Warbler.


The eggs could be seen, 011 a clear day plainly, through the

large aperture, and I saw them nearly every day. When fresh

they appeared to be of a light-blue colour, probably they were

greenish blue, and I could not detect any spots ; if there had

been some it is unlikely that I should have seen them in the

shelter of the nest. In the morning following the robbery, a

prolonged search was rewarded by the finding of two tiny specks

of blue, absolutely useless, and a small piece of shell which, from

the degree of concavity, I concluded had formed part of the

larger end of one of the eggs. It was freely speckled with dots

of brown and rusty, but these were mostly, although not entirely,

removed on the application of moisture; unfortunately the

fragment suffered so much in my endeavours to hold and wash it



