LANCEOLATE HONEY-EATER. 225 



berries or of the insects, but as the Dicseum is one of the insecl 

 eaters, the latter supposition is probably correct. 



It is veiy seldom if ever seen on the ground, and its fliglii 

 among the upper branches is quick, sharp, and darting. 



The nest of the Swallow Dicseum is as pretty as its architect, 

 and its ordinaiy shape can be seen in the accompanying illustra- 

 tion, though the plain black and white of a wood engraving can 

 give but little idea of its full beauty. In colour it is nearly pure 

 white, being made of the cotton-like down which accompanies 

 and defends the seeds of many plants, and this material is so 

 artf ally woven that the nest almost looks as if it were made from 

 a piece of very white cloth. It is always purse-like in form, 

 though its shape is slightly variable, and is suspended by the 

 upper portion to the twigs at the very summit of the tree. 

 Generally it hangs its nest upon the parasitic plant which has 

 already been mentioned, but it often selects the Casuarinae, or the 

 delicate twigs of the myall or weeping acacia, for that purpose. 

 The average number of eggs is five, and their colour is greyish 

 white thickly powdered with small brown specks. Their length 

 is about three quarters of an inch, and their breadth rather less 

 than half an inch. 



There is a nest of another Australian bird which has some 

 resemblance to that of the Swallow Dicseum, namely, the home 

 of the species called Malurus cyaneiis, one of a rather large group 

 of birds, which are peculiar to Australia. Like the habitation 

 which has already been described, the nest of the Malurus is 

 placed very high on the tree, and is puvse-like in shape, having 

 an aperture in the side through which the bird can pass. The 

 Malurus belongs to the same group of birds as the remarkable 

 emeu-wren, so well known for its long, hair-like tail-feathers, 

 and its odd custom of holding that appendage erect as it trips 

 over the grass. The Malurus has the same habit, though its tail 

 is comparatively short, and does not attract much attention. 



In a previous page it has been mentioned that a bird was un- 

 doubtedly the first tailor, and used needle and thread ages before 

 man had invented such implements. We now come to a bird 

 which may be accepted as the first hammock-maker, its nest 

 being made of a hammock-Hke shape, and slung just as a seaman 

 slings his oscillating coucli. Scarcely any more comfortable bed 



Q 



