NESTS COMPOSED OF STICKS 47 

 necessary, but there are many species of birds 

 who use practically nothing but sticks and yet 

 build stable and elaborate nests ; the magpie 

 is an example. The magpie has the reputation 

 of being a particularly cunning bird, which 

 some might say accounts for the cleverly 

 constructed tectum he puts over the top of 

 the nest, which effectually conceals the eggs, 

 and is a protection against plunderers in 

 general. The magpie builds a solitary nest 

 with no attempt at concealment, therefore a 

 covering of this kind is more necessary than 

 it would be, say, in the case of the rook 

 who, surrounded by neighbours, has less to 

 fear from outsiders, there being always a 

 certain number of birds left to guard the 

 rookery. 



Perhaps the most artful builder using sticks 

 only is the Firewood-Gatherer (Anumbius 

 acuticaudatus) of South America. The nest 

 of this bird is certainly a marvel for strength 

 and compactness considering the unyielding 

 nature of the material. A specimen of this 

 nest may be seen at the Natural History 

 Museum, South Kensington. Bound up with 

 the sticks there appear some strands of iron 

 wire which, the writer would say, add un- 

 naturally to the stabiUty of the nest. It is 

 said that the bird frequently uses the cross- 



