^04 



HOMES WITHOUT HANDS. 



making has been forwarded to me by Captain Diayson, RA. who 

 has frequently watched the whole proceedings : — 



" The bird that builds these nests is colonially termed the 

 Yellow Oriole. The ingenious little creature is nearly as large 

 as a thrush, and is of a bright yellow colour, except the ends of 

 the wings, which are of a brownish hue. It is gregarious ; and 

 when a good locality has been found, several hundred nests will 

 be suspended from some dozen trees, within a few yards of each 

 other. The most pliant branches are invariably selected, from 

 which the nest is suspended ; and in all cases the end of the 

 nest overhangs the stream, so that any additional weight would 

 bring the nest iato the water. 



" The birds make a great disturbance when building, there 

 being usually a regular fight in order to secure the best places. 

 In building, the birds first commence by working some stout 

 flags or reeds from the branch, so as to hang downwards. They 

 then attach the upper part of the nest to the branch, so as to 

 form the dome-like roof By degrees they complete the globular 

 bulb, stiU working downwards, and, lastly, the neck is attached 

 to the body of the nest. Great skUl is required to keep the 

 neck even and open, and yet no machine could accomplish the 

 work better than do these ingenious little architects. The upper 

 part of the nest is very thick and firmly built, more than twice 

 as thick as the neck, and the material of which it is made is far 

 stronger. In some instances I have seen one nest attached to 

 another; and when this is the case, the second builder strengthens 

 the first nest, and then attaches his own work thereto. 



" Should by chance a hawk or monkey venture into the vicinity 

 of a colony of birds, it is chased and chirped at by hundreds of 

 these little creatures, who make common cause against the in- 

 truder, and quickly drive him off. During the building of the 

 nests, the river side is a most interesting place, as the intel- 

 ligence and diligence of the birds are most remarkable." 



If the hand be carefully introduced up the neck of one of 

 these nests, its admirable fitness for the nurture of the young 

 birds is at once perceived. When merely viewed from the out- 

 side, the nest looks as if it would be a very unsafe cradle, and 

 would permit the young birds to fall through the neck into the 

 water. A section of the nest, however, shows that no habitation 

 can be safer, and even the hand can detect the wonderfully 



