402 nature's teachings. 



the nest with soft downy feathers, on which they can rest. 

 If the finger be introduced into the nest through the aperture, 

 the tiny eggs can be felt reposing in their natural feather-bed. 

 In this case, however, the bird does not denude herself of 

 feathers, but has a way of picking them up wherever she can 

 find them. 



Now we will take another form of bed, namely, the Hammock, 

 which is used in many parts of the world. 



Putting aside the well-known hammock as used on board 

 our ships, we will take the same kind of bed as used among 

 the natives of tropical America. 



In that wonderful part of the world, where water and 

 vegetation reign supreme, an aerial couch of some kind is 

 absolutely needful, and is supplied by the singularly ingenious 

 hammocks which are constructed by the natives. They are 

 made of a fine, but marvellously strong fibre, procured from 

 the aloe plant by the simple process of soaking the long leaves 

 in water, and dashing them against a stone. The soft green 

 parts are eaten away, and the tough fibres remain in all their 

 strength. 



From these fibres are woven the strings of which the 

 Hammocks are made. I possess four of the Hammocks, all 

 made on different lines, but all based on the same principle. 

 In some the strings are laid parallel to each other, and con- 

 nected by transverse strings at regular intervals, but in the 

 best specimens they are interlaced diagonally into a sort of 

 loose network without knots, so that it yields in every direction 

 to the outlines of the body. 



It is one of the most comfortable couches ever invented, 

 especially when it is of considerable size. I have one specimen 

 which, even in its curved state, extends completely across a 

 tolerably sized room. I never use it because it is so comfortable 

 that the temptation to lie in it is almost too strong to be 

 resisted. 



As to Hammocks in Nature, they are almost too many to 

 be computed. 



So we will first take the nest of the Pensile Oriole, which is 

 shown in the illustration, and which is an admirable example 



