THE CAPOCIEB. 569 



found that upon the naturalist's table was always a plentiful sup- 

 ply of vegetable down and fibres ready plucked, they ingeniously 

 saved themselves the trouble of collecting, and simply resorted to 

 the hospitable tent. 



The male was the principal -collector of materials, and the fe- 

 male the chief architect. He used to fly off, and return with a 

 mass of cotton wool, moss, or tow, and deposit it close to the spot 

 where his mate was at work. Then she would take the materials, 

 arrange them, press them into form, and only ask his assistance 

 in carrying out her plans. He pressed, and pecked, and pulled 

 the cotton wool so as to reduce it to a kind of felt, but did not 

 seem to originate any architectural ideas, leaving them to his more 

 ingenious mate. 



Le Vaillant's account of the mode of working is so interesting 

 and elegant, that, in justice to himself, it must be given in his 

 own words. After describing the process of fetching materials 

 and laying them in their places, he proceeds as follows : 



"This agreeable. occupation was often interrupted by innocent 

 and playful gambols, though the female appeared to be so active- 

 ly and anxiously employed about her building as to have less 

 relish for trifling than the male, and she even punished him for 

 his frolics by pecking him well with her beak. He, on the other 

 hand, fought in his turn, pecked, pulled down the work which 

 they had done, prevented the female from continuing her labors, 

 and, in a word, seemed to tell her, ' On account of this work you 

 refuse to be my playmate, therefore you shall not do it.' 



" It will scarcely be credited that, entirely from what I saw and 

 knew respecting these little altercations, I was both surprised and 

 angry at the female. In order, however, to save the fabric from 

 spoliation, she left off working, and fled from bUsh to bush, for 

 the express purpose of teasing him. Soon afterward, having 

 made matters up again, the female returned to her labor, and the 

 male sang for several minutes in the most animated strains. 

 After his song was concluded he began again to occupy himself 

 with the work, and with fresh ardor carried such materials as his 

 companion required, till the spirit of frolic again became buoy- 

 ant, and a scene similar to that which I have described occurred. 

 I have witnessed eight interruptions of this kind in one morning. 

 How happy birds are ! They are certainly the privileged creat- 

 ures of nature, thus to work and sport alternately, as fancy 

 prompts them. 



