CHAPTER VII 



PENDULOUS NESTS 



Erroneous opinions respecting Pendulous Nests — Definition of Pendulous 

 Nests— Rarity of this type in Avine Architecture— Variation in shape of Nest 

 in same species — Nests of the Penduline Tits— Of various Flower-peckers — Of 

 certain Honey-eaters^Of various species of Gerygone — Of the Glossy Star- 

 liogs — Of the Weaver-birds — Of the Indian Weaver-bird — Extraordinary Nest 

 of this species— Of the Yellow-crowned Weaver — Various shapes of Weaver- 

 birds' Nests — Method of building adopted by Weaver-birds — Weaver-birds a 

 striking feature of Eastern Bird Life— Nests of the Hang-nests — Shape and 

 dimensions of Nests — Changes in materials used according to locality occupied 

 by species— Nest of Baltimore Oriole — Reason displayed by Birds in Nest- 

 building — Most typical Pendulous Nests — Of various Cassiques — Nests of the 

 Cassiques a feature in tropical American scenery— The Cow Birds — Parasites 

 — Various facts relating to Pendulous Nests — Enemies to Birds and Eggs — 

 Resum^ of previous chapters and conclusion. 



It is somewhat remarkable how the term "pendulous'' 

 or " penduline " is applied to such a large number of 

 nests that have little or no claim, strictly speaking, to 

 be described as such. Not a few of the nests included 

 in our previous chapters have quite erroneously been 

 classed as pendulous by various writers. We may allude 

 specially to the nests of certain Humming-birds, Sun- 

 birds and Tyrant-birds to illustrate our remarks, and 

 here insist that a hanging or suspended nest is by no 

 means necessarily a "pendulous" one. Nests built 

 at the extremity of slender and often drooping branches, 

 or attached to fern fronds and broad ribbon-like leaves, 

 cannot accurately be described as pendulous. My de- 



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