OSTINOPS. 551 



occasionally be seen suspended from the ends ol the branches of 

 high trees, often the coco-nut und cabbage palms. These are the 

 nests of the Bunyah (Ostinops decumanus). They are made of 

 dry grass and coco-nut fibre, interwoven with dry sticks, and are 

 about five feet long. A quantity of dry leaves are placed at the 

 bottom of the nest, in which the eggs are completely hidden. The 

 entrance is a small hole near the top. The eggs, two in number, 

 are white, thickly streaked and blotched with pink." 



Mr. J. J. Quelch (Timehri (2) v. p. 85), who observed this 

 species in Greorgetown, remarks : — " At the back of the Botanic 

 Grardens, along the Lamaha Canal, on the outskirts of the town, 

 the black Bunyah ( Ostinops decumanus) will occasionally be met 

 with. It may be taken as a typical member of the Hangnests or 

 Icterine family, its nest being several feet in length and purse- 

 shaped, suspended from the ends 'of branches, generally near, or 

 over water. There are more than 100 members of tliis group of 

 birds and all confined to America, where they take the place of 

 t;he starlings. They are known by various names, such as 

 Cassiques, Hangnests, Troupials, Orioles, etc., and many of them 

 are gifted with great powers of song, while others are imitative 

 to a remarkable degree, such as the common Mocking-bird of 

 Gruiana {Cassicus persicus), which does not occur within the 

 immediate neighbourhood of the city." 



Mr. C. A. Llbyd (Timehri (2) xi. p. 5), writing on the Nesting 

 of some Guiana Birds, remarks : — " The mosquito worm also 

 attacks the young of the Red and Yellow-backed Mocking Birds 

 ( Cassicus affinis and C. persicus) . Mr. Barshall informs me that 

 these birds are frequently made the victims of another member of 

 their family, Cassidix oryzivora, which deposifs its eggs in their 

 nests, and imposes upon them the task of rearing it's young. I 

 have myself taken the eggs of this bird from the nests of the 

 large Black "Bunyah" [Ostinops decumanus), but never could 

 ascertain anything further concerning their history. 



" Most of our Cassiques resort to trees already occupied by 

 colonies of wasps for the purpose of building their nests. I sup- 

 pose this is for protective purposes, but then, why have not all of 

 our birds developed the same habit ? A marauding monkey or 

 snake would be just as likely to attack and rob the nest of a 

 pigeon or dove as it would that of a Cassique." 



