1 8 cassell's book of birds. 



retiring-rooms for the male parent. Swainson tells us that these strange and shapeless masses are very 

 conspicuous features in the landscape. The brood usually consists of four eggs, which are round in 

 shape, and generally of a pure white. 



The OVEN BIRDS {Fiiniarius) possess a moderately strong beak, either quite straight or 

 slightly curved, compressed at its sides, and almost equalling the head in length ; the blunt wing is of 

 medium size, its third quill is the longest, while its first is considerably, and its second slightly 

 shortened ; the sliort tail is composed of soft feathers ; the tarsus is high, and the toes strong ; the 

 claws are somewhat hooked, but Only the first is of any considerable size. These birds frequent both 

 open woodlands and inhabited districts ; they live for the most part on the ground, as their powers of 

 flight and climbing are very limited. Their voice is loud, harsli, and peculiar. The strange nests 

 built by the members of this group, and from which their name is derived, have been described by 

 Azara, the Prince von Wied, Burmeister, Darwin, and other ^vriters. " After passing over the lofty 

 chain of mountains that separate the well-wooded coasts of Brazil from the Campos, travellers are 

 astonished at beholding large, melon-shaped masses of clay standing erect upon the branches of the 

 high trees surrounding the settlers' houses. Were it not for the regularity of their size and shape, a 

 stranger would at once pronounce these masses of clay to be nests built by the termite ants. On 

 closer inspection of one of these the eye detects an oval-shaped hole at the side, and a little patience 

 is rewarded by a sight of the actual inhabitant of this most remarkable nest as he slips in and out of 

 the entrance to his strange abode. This bird, known to us as the Furnarius rufus, is called the Joao 

 de Barro, or Clay Jack, by the Brazilians." We learn from Darwin that these nests are also placed in 

 such exposed situations as the top of a post, a bare rock, or on a cactus, and are composed of mud 

 and bits of straw. The strong, thick walls in shape precisely resemble an oven, or a depressed 

 bee-hive. The opening is large, and directly in front ; within the nest there is a partition, which 

 reaches nearly to the roof, thus forming a passage or antechamber to the true nest. 



■ THE RED OVEN BIRD. 



The Red Oven Bird {Furnarius rufus) is about seven inches long and ten and a half broad ; the 

 wing measures three inches and three-quarters, and the tail three inches. The plumage is principally 

 of a reddish yellow; the top of the head bro\vnish red, and the quills brown; the under side is 

 of a lighter tint, and the throat pale white ; a bright reddish yellow stripe passes from the eyes to the 

 back of the head ; the quills are grey, the primaries edged with pale yellow towards their base, and 

 the tail-feathers yellowish red ; the eyes are yellowish brown, the beak brown, except at the whitish 

 base of the lower mandible ; the foot is also bro^vn. 



These strange birds live in pairs, and but rarely associate, even in small parties. Their food 

 consists of insects and various kinds of seeds, the former, according to Burmeister, being always 

 obtained from the surface of the ground, over which they run and hop with great facility. Nor are their 

 movements less adroit amongst the branches, from whence their most peculiar cry is constantly to be 

 heard as they disport themselves from bough to bough. These birds are regarded with great respect 

 by the Brazilians, on account of a very strange but prevalent idea that they never proceed with their 

 building operations on the Sabbath, a superstitious fancy that we need hardly say has been frequently 

 disproved, but has no doubt arisen from the unusually short time required by this species to complete 

 its remarkable and elaborate home. 



" The nest of the Red Oven Bird," says Burmeister, " is usually constructed upon the branch 

 of a tree, and occasionally upon house-tops, steeples, or similar situations. Both male and female 

 unite in the labour of building, and form their nests of round pellets of mud, working each pellet 



