314 HOMES WITHOUT HANDS. 



was only dried in the sun. Possibly, if the bird were deprived 

 of such materials, and only furnished with mud and clay, it 

 would be as much at a loss as were the captive Israelites when 

 they were compelled to make bricks without being supplied 

 with straw. 



like the Oven bird, the Pied GraUina makes no attempt to 

 conceal its nest, but places it quite conspicuously on a branch, 

 as is shown in the illustration. It is almost invariably buUt on 

 a bough which overhangs the water, and in spite of its weight 

 and size, is fixed so. firmly to the branch that there is no fear 

 lest it should overbalance itself. The walls of the nest are 

 very thick and solid, and the whole edifice looks very like an 

 exceedingly rude and Hi-baked earthenware vessel, just such an 

 one, indeed, as Eobinson Crusoe manufactured on his island. 

 The bird is widely spread over Australia, so that its nest may 

 be found in many parts of the countiy. 



T MAY here mention that two of our best known song-birds 

 form a basin-like nest of somewhat similar materials. Every 

 one who has taken the nest of a Song Thrush {Turdus musims), 

 will remember that its interior is lined with a cup of a substance 

 that resembles clay, but which is in fact composed chiefly of 

 cowdung and decayed wood. This cup is exceedingly thin, but 

 it is very hard and tough, and is so compact in its structure that 

 it will hold water for some time. Like the mud wall of the 

 Pied Grallina, it is strengthened by sticks and grass, with this 

 difference, that whereas the latter bird incorporates the sticks 

 and straws with the mud, the Thrush works the cup upon the 

 sticks and straws. 



The Blackbibd (Turdiis menila), too, has a similar habit, only 

 it employs veritable mud for the purpose, and spreads it in a 

 much thicker layer than the Thrush. The eggs, however, are 

 not placed on the dried mud, but on a layer of very fine grass. 

 The object of this curious lining seems to be stiU undiscovered. 

 Both the birds build in similar localities, and both make their 

 nests close to the ground. It is possible that the stout walls may 

 prevent the weasel or stoat from tearing the nest away from 

 below, and so catching the young birds, but this is mere conjec- 

 ture. Even the muddy lining does not repel all such attacks, 

 for I once knew a dog that was in the habit of searching for 



