72 SOCIAL HABITATIONS. 
rather a large size, measuring about thirteen inches in 
length, by nine in width, and filled with combs. Unfor- 
tunately, in its passage to this country, it was broken and 
muchdamaged, butthe fragments were collectedand skilfully 
put together by Mr. F. Smith, who has succeeded in restor- 
ing the nest to its original shape, with the exception of an 
aperture through which the interior of the nest may be seen. 
The accident was in so far an advantage, that it gave 
opportunities of studying the construction of a nest which 
is at present unique, and which the officers of the Museum 
might be chary of cutting open, particularly as its materials 
are so brittle. The walls of the nest are remarkably hard 
and solid, but extremely variable in thickness, some parts 
being nearly three times as strong as others. The upper 
portions of the nest are the thickest, the reason for which 
is evident on inspecting the specimen. 
The nest was found in a Guianan forest, near the river 
Berbice, suspended to a branch, which passed through a 
hole in the solid wall of the nest. In the actual specimen 
the branch is wanting ; but in the illustration it has been 
restored, in order to show the manner in which the winged 
artificers suspended their wonderful home. As is always 
the case with pensile nests, the foundation is laid at the 
top, thus carrying out Dean Swift’s suggestion for a new 
patent in architecture. A large quantity of clay is worked 
round the chosen branch, and made very strong, in order 
to sustain the heavy weight which will be suspended from 
it. This clay foundation is wonderfully hard, though very 
brittle, this latter quality being probably due to the long 
residence in a room which is always kept warm and dry 
by artificial means. In the open air, and in the ever-damp, 
though hot atmosphere of tropical America, the clay would 
probably be much tougher, without losing the necessary 
hardness. 
