ZOOLOGY, 87 



An extensive genus, the majority of which inhabit the 

 warmer parts of Asia, Africa, America, and the neighbour- 

 ing Islands ; in so large a variety as this genus contains, a 

 great variation, is observable in the a^conomy and habits of 

 the different species ; generally they are inhabitants of woody 

 situations, and ma.-y cf the kinds construct very elegant, 

 compact, pendent nests ; of the instinct possessed by some of 

 the foreign kinds, we shall trascribe from Tiirton''s Linne^ 

 the following account. "The Philtpine Grosbeak, CjL. PA/- 

 lipiana.^ constructs a curious nest, with long fibres of plants, 

 or dry grass, and suspends it by a kind of cord, nearly half 

 an ell long, from the end of the slender branch of some tree, 

 that it may be inaccessible to Snakes, and other injurious 

 Animals; (he interior part consists of three divisions ; the 

 first is occupied by the male, the second by the female, and 

 the third contains the young ; in the first apartment, where 

 the male keeps watch, (while the female is hatching,) a little 

 tough clay is placed on one side, and on the top of this clay 

 a Glow-worm^ which affords the inhabitants light in the 

 night time." Other kinds display equal ingenuity in the 

 construction of their dwellings, where they have the same 

 common enimies to contend with ; in this country, where 

 they have but little to fear on account of their nests ; the 

 same ingenuity in their formation is not observable, still they 

 take the precaution, to construct their nesls of such materials 

 as assimilate in colour with the objects immediately sur- 

 rounding them, on which account they are the less liable to 

 attract attention. They feed on seeds, berries, and insects; 

 seven species are natives of this country, see Brilish Orni^ 

 ihologijy vols. 1,2. 



