15(5 
DA T.M A T I A N N U'l' 11 AT( 'II. 
were it not that the dark shades of the entrance hole 
sometimes reveal its existenee. One which I recently 
found near the town of Magnesia, on a commanding 
rock, had a diameter of ten inches, and very nearly 
six in depth. The upper wall was three inches thick, 
and the sides and under Avail about four fifths of an 
inch, while the depth of the neck and entrance hole 
Avas tAVo inches. The Aveight of the Avholc Avas upAvards 
of five hundred drachms, (sixty-three ounces!) alloAving 
for that part of it Avhich I could not cut aAvay from 
the rock. It is quite clear that this bird cannot build 
every year a ncAV nest so large and heavy, but that it 
must last a long time, even for a whole life. Round 
the hole, Avhich is chosen for the building of the nest, 
and also over the nest itself, is a quantity of resin, 
Avhich is mixed Avith the other materials, and Avith earth. 
This resin it gets especially from Pistacea terebintlius 
and lentiscus. M"hen melted by the Avarmth of the 
sun, it runs doAvn and gives the nest a very firm hold 
of the rock, and Avill bear a great Aveight. 
llaAung mixed together feathers and fibres Avith clay 
and cement out of the Avater, to Avhich hairs and threads 
are sometimes added, it shapes its nest in the form of 
a flask, Avith a round opening of one inch and one fifth 
in diameter. The inside of the nest is more regular 
than the outside, but not A'ery smooth, both having 
throughout a granular surface, Avhich is covered by the 
small p>ieces of earth stuck one above another. The 
outer side differs also from the inner, in being coAmred 
Avith resin and a red sticky mass, perhaps taken from 
the poplar. When this is melted by the sun it not 
only makes the Avhole impervious to Avet, but makes it 
in appearance similar to the Avail on Avhich it is placed. 
It is not possible to examine this structure Avithout 
