BIRDS. 321 



larly as three-fourths of it appeared to be entirely useless 

 and idly made; for the part which was to contain the 

 eggs, and which was alone indispensable, was not more 

 than three inches from the surface. All the rest of this 

 edifice, which was a tissue closely and laboriously woven 

 of slender threads taken from the bark of certain shrubs, 

 seemed to be totally useless. The interior of the nest was 

 not furnished with any sort of soft material, such as down, 

 wool, or hair; but as the female had not laid her eggs when 

 Klaas brought it to me, it is probable that the nest was 

 not quite finished • a fact, indeed, proved by the birds being 

 still at work at the time." * 



In Jamaica, we have seen an interesting nest made by a 



Nest of Banana-bird. 



Starling, of brilliant black and yellow plumage, and pro- 



* "Ois. d'Afrique," iii 129. 



