230 CLASS AVES. 



bastard quill, and the second and third reraex are the longest 

 of all. 



Most of these birds are found in Africa or the East-Indies. 

 Their generic name is derived from the wonderful art with 

 which they construct their nests, interlacing them with blades 

 of grass; in which talent they resemble the divisions of cariros- 

 tral birds distinguished by the names of cassiques,troupials,and 

 carouges, whose place they appear to hold in the old continent. 

 The Toucnam-courvi, or Philippine-grosheak, is one of 

 the most remarkable of these birds, for the art with which it 

 constructs its nest. It suspends it to the extremity of the 

 branches by its upper part, composes it of small fibres of 

 leaves, interlaced one with another, and gives it the form of a 

 sack, swelled and rounded in the middle, the aperture of 

 which is placed on one side ; to this aperture is fitted a long 

 canal, composed of similar fibres, and turning towards the 

 bottom of the nest, with an aperture underneath, so that the 

 real entrance to the nest does not appear at all. 



The Baglafecht, or Abyssinian grosbeak, has been repre- 

 sented as a variety of the last ; but it more probably constitutes 

 a distinct species. It is a native of Abyssinia, and gives to its 

 nest a different form from that of the toucnam-courvi, and dis- 

 plays rather more industry in its precautions for sheltering its 

 offspring from the humidity of the weather and the voracity of 

 its enemies. It rolls its nest in a spiral form, not unlike the 

 shell of the nautilus, suspends it to the extremity of some 

 little branch, over a placid stream, and fixes the entrance in 

 the lower part ; but the aperture is always on the eastern 

 side, in opposition to the direction of the rain. 



The Cap-more (Ploceus textor), is a native of Senegal, 

 and also of the kingdoms of Congo and Cacoucongo. Like 

 most of the birds inhabiting these burning regions of Africa, 

 its livery varies according to the season. In spring, for 

 instance, its head is covered with a sort of capouche, of a 

 reddish brown, which, in the after season, changes to a 



