THE BIRDS OF SINGAPORE ISLAND 
surface of the supporting leaf are visible in a double row the 
knotted ends of the silk threads which sting the nest and serve 
to keep hi position the skeleton leaves, A nest such as this 
is not only pretty secure from observation but is well protected 
from snakes, those inveterate destroyers of birds' eggs, more- 
over, the protective covering of skeleton leaves keeps the nest 
from swinging about^ and there is no danger of the eggs being 
thrown out, however violently the leaf to which the nest is 
attached may wave in the bree2e/* 
[228J 
