BIRDS' NESTS 



815 



enough to fasten the whole into a sort of purse which 

 keeps out the rain. 



"The orthotomus, or grass-warbler, a small bird 

 of India, is an even more skilful tailor, and in fact 

 is commonly known as the tailor-bird. It selects two 

 large leaves, still 

 living and at- 

 tached to the 

 branch on which 

 they grew. These 

 are brought to- 

 gether, with their 

 longer edges 



touching, and are 

 sewed border to 

 border with a 

 strong cotton 

 thread made by 

 the bird's beak. 

 The seams run 

 only half the length of the leaves, in such a manner 

 that the two together, hanging down as they do, 

 form a conical sac with its mouth upward. In this 

 sac the nest is placed, hidden by its protecting 

 envelope, which so blends with the rest of the 

 foliage that even after a person has once found the 

 nest he can with difficulty find it again. 



"In South Africa there is a bird scarcely larger 

 than our swallow and known as the social republican 

 from its living in large societies with one nest in 

 common. This nest, a sort of bird village, is shaped 



Tailor Bird of Java and Nest 



