FEATHERED GARBENBKS. 245 



tion of a cabin." Their fondness for flowers and gar- 

 dens is still more remarkable. Directly in front of 

 the door of their cabin is a level space occupying 

 at least as much ground as the structure itself. This 

 is a garden of fresh, green, growing moss, brought 

 here by the birds, and with the utmost care kept 

 smooth and clean, entirely free from dirt or litter of 

 any kind, all stones, sticks, etc., falling from the trees 

 above, or brought by the wind, being at once re- 

 moved. The verdant and velvety surface exhibited 

 by the miniature meadow does not, however, entirely 

 satisfy its owners. Something is yet wanting, and 

 they proceed to scatter over it the most brilUantly 

 colored flowers and fruits they can gather about the 

 forest — wings of butterflies, lightly painted shades 

 of beetles, and showy fungus growths. The greater 

 number of these ornaments are deposited near tlio 

 entrance of the cabin. The variety of objects thus 

 exhibited is very great, and they are always of the 

 most brilliant colors. As soon as any have been so 

 long exposed as to lose their freshness they are taken 

 from the garden, thrown away, and replaced by new 

 ones. 



It remains to be said that these little cabins are 

 not used by the garden birds as nests. Their real 

 homes are in the tops of the tallest forest trees ; 

 it is there they lay their eggs and rear their young. 

 These dainty little summer houses and flower gardens 

 are, if you please, their playhouses, where it is prob- 

 able they invite their lady and gentleman friends for 

 a frolic. 



