The Fire-wood Gatherer 211 



the cross-arms of the telegraph-poles and interfere at times 

 with the working of the Hnes. 



The Fire-wood Gatherer seems to be an amiable little 

 bird, and for months after the young have quitted the nest, 

 the old birds and their family keep together and use it as a 

 roosting-place. Mr. W. H. Hudson thus describes their life — 



"To build, the Anuiiibi makes choice of an isolated tree 

 in an open situation, and prefers a dwarf tree with very 

 scanty foliage; for small projecting twigs and leaves hinder 

 the worker when carrying up sticks. This is a most 

 laborious operation, as the sticks are large, and the bird's 

 flight is feeble. If the tree is to its liking, it matters not 

 how much exposed to the winds it may be, or how close to 

 a human habitation, for the bird is utterly unconcerned at 

 the presence of man. I have frequently seen a nest in a 

 shrub or ornamental tree within ten yards of the main 

 entrance to a house ; and I have also seen several on the 

 tall upright stakes of a horse-corral, and the birds working 

 quietly, with a herd of half-wild horses rushing round the 

 enclosure beneath them, pursued by the men with lassoes. 

 The birds use large sticks for building and drop a great 

 many; frequently as much fallen material as would fill a 

 barrow lies under the tree. The fallen stick is not picked 

 up again, as the bird could not rise vertically with its load, 

 and is not intelligent enough, I suppose, to recover the 

 fallen stick, and to carry it away thirty yards from the tree 

 and then rise obliquely. It consequently goes far afield in 

 quest of a fresh one, and having got one to its liking, 

 carefully takes it up exactly by the middle, and carrying it 

 like a balancing-pole returns to the nest, where, if one end 

 happens to hit against a projecting twig, it drops like the 

 first. The bird is not discouraged, but after a brief inter- 

 view with its mate, flies cheerfully away to gather more wood. 



" The nest of the Afluuibi is about two feet in depth, and 

 from ten to twelve inches in diameter, and rests in an 



