CONTENTS. 



and use of the projections — The Neotakinia— Why so called — Locality of 

 the nest — Size of the insect — The Teigona and its nest — Ichneumon Flies — 

 Different species of Microgastee, and their habitations — The Peeilitus — 

 Weevils — Beautiful Cocoon of Cionus — The Empeeoe Moth and its home — 

 The Atlas Moth and other silk producers — The Housebtiildbb Moth and its 

 movable Dwelling — The Tigee Moth and its Hammock — The Buenet Moths 

 and their curious homes — The Deinker Moth, its cocoon and insect foes — The 

 Oak-egger Moth — Method of killing insects — Cocoon of the Oak-egger — 

 Origin of its name — The Little Eggee Moth — ^Air-holes — ^Nests discovered by 

 Mr. Bates — The Cypress Spurge Moth— Various leaf-rollers — Suspended 

 cocoon — Leaf-buerowers and their homes — The Spider 251 



CHAPTER XV. 



BUILDERS. 



BuUdiug Mammalia — Definition of the title — Inferiority of the mammalia as 

 architects — ^The Brush-tailed Bettong — Its structure and colour — The Nest 

 of the Bettong, and its adaptation to the locality — Singular method of convey- 

 ing materials — Its nocturnal habits— The Eabbit-Eaebd Bandicoot, and its 

 habitat — The generic title — Curious form of the eai-s and feet — DifBculty in 

 discovering its nest — The Musquash or Ondatra — Its general habits — Its 

 burrowing powers, and extent of its tunnels — The Musquash as a buUder— 

 Form and size of its house — Mode of killing the animal by spear, gun, and trap 

 —Its flesh and fur ... 305 



CHAPTER XVI. 



BUILDING BIRDS. 



The Oven Bied and its place in ornithology — Its general habits — Nest of the 

 Oven Bird— Curious materials and historical parallel — The specimens in the 

 British Museum — The internal architecture of the nest — Division into 

 chambers — The Pied Geallina — The specimens at the Zoological Gardens — 

 Materials and form of the nest — Boldness of the bii'd — ^The SoKG Thrush and 

 its nest — The Blaokbied and its clay-lined nests — Supposed reasons for the 

 lining— The Fairy Martin — Locality, shape, and materials of the nest — 

 Social habits of the bird — How the nest is built — The Rufous-Necked Swallow 

 — Locality and abundance of its nests — Curious habit of the bird — Audubon's 

 account — The Rufous-Bellied Swallow — Supplementary nest — How the bird 

 builds— Popular superstition and its uses — The House Maetin — Material of its 

 nest — Favourite localities — Ingenuity of the Martin — Adaptation to circum- 

 stances — Parasitic iutruders, their number, dimensions, and tenacity of life — 

 The Swallow— Distinction between its nest and that of the Martin — Why 

 called the Chimney Swallow — Tallegalla, or Brush Turkey— The illustra- 

 tion explained — Various names of the Bird— Its singular and enormous nest — 

 How the eggs are laid and hatched — Egress of the young — Remarkable instinct. 

 Australian Jungle Fowl — Shape, size, and position of its nests — How the 

 eggs are discovered — Leipoa or Native Pheasant — Its mound-nest, and 

 general habits . . . . . ... .... 310 



