230 



HOMES WITHOUT HANDS. 



found in the webs of various spiders, some of which are of 

 wonderful strength and elasticity — as strong, indeed, as the silken 

 lines of our well-known brown-tailed moth, which, though 

 tightly stretched, can be pulled without breaking, and spring 

 back to their former position like a harp-string. There is al.so a 

 great variety in spiders' webs, so that the birds can procure at 

 will the long elastic tlireads with which the materials of the 

 nest can be tied together, or the soft felt-like substances with 

 which the moss, bark, and fibres can be interwoven, so as to 

 form a firm and wet-resistins; mass. 



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LITTLE HERMIT. (PhiuthomU enmila.) 



Our first example of the pensile Humming Birds is the 

 beautiful species called the Little Hermit {PJiaethomis eremita). 



