﻿190 ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS. 



There is something very ingenious in the construction of 

 this opening, which is not, as it first appears, round, but 

 semicircular (Jig. 8 ( J.), the arch being bound round with 

 a stronger band than usual, and the plane, or base, much 

 stronger, and composed of straight pieces of the stalks of 

 grass, evidently for the purpose of giving to that part 

 upon which the birds perched greater strength and sub- 

 stance. Mr. Barrow, as we have seen, remarks that 

 lateral openings to the nests of the African birds are 

 very common. The rains of Southern Africa and of 

 tropical America are, perhaps, equally violent while they 

 continue ; but then the small leaved and scanty foliage of 

 the trees in the former, leave the nests of such birds 

 that are upon them much more exposed to these torrents 

 than are the nests of the Brazilian birds, where the foli- 

 age of the trees is particularly thick and broad. May 

 not this be one of the causes, at least, why nature has 

 so especially taught the African birds to construct their 

 nests in the manner alluded to ? Snakes are equally 

 common in both regions, yet with the exception of the 

 hangnestsand a very few others, as Synallaocis garrulus, 

 Donacobius vociferans, &c, we are unacquainted with 

 any other Brazilian birds which depart from the ordi- 

 nary style of building. 



(l6'3.) Hive nests are constructed alone by such birds 

 as live in vast societies under one common roof. They 

 are only to be met with in Africa ; and although Patter- 

 son, who first discovered them, gives us a very intelli- 

 gible account of their construction, yet what he has said 

 of the bird or birds by whom they are built, is too 

 vague to enable a modern ornithologist to understand 

 either their genera or their species. Hence the name of 

 Republican Grosbeak has been applied to several totally 

 distinct sorts. Patterson's account of these extraordinary 

 nests is as follows : — u The industry of these birds seems 

 almost equal to that of the bee. Throughout the day 

 they appear busily employed in carrying a fine species 

 of grass, which is the principal material they employ for 

 the purpose of erecting this extraordinary work, as well 



