The Amethyst Simhird in its own Country. 235 
metallic gleam I was looking for. This time it passed right 
across my garden, low down through the trees in the direction 
of the large tank, so I promptly shifted my position to the 
place where I saw it disappear, and set myself down to spot 
it again if possible. In about two or three minutes it passed 
me again and disappeared into a large tree on the bank of 
the tank. As it did not reappear I again shifted my posi- 
tion to a place beyond the tree, and again sat down to watch. 
This time I was successful and saw the little builder carrying 
materials to his nest. It was quite close to me, about seven 
or eight yards off, on the extreme tip of the bough of a low 
thorn tree, about twelve feet from the ground. I kept quite 
still and watched, and watched, and watched, and my watching 
was well repaid. 
Round and round the twig he worked, now bringing 
a tiny piece of very fine fibre, now a cobweb smeared 
over his neck and shoulders, which he detached with his bill and 
fastened on the twig, and then flew off and returned leaving 
the cobweb, or part of it hanging on to the twig. Off he 
flew again, never resting for a second — now to the top of a 
big tree where numerous spider's webs were still stretched 
from twig to twig. In and out amongst these he ducks and 
dodges, collecting quite a coating of spiders' webs over his 
wings and shoulders, which he successfully transfers to his 
little nest. After a day or two it nears completion and re- 
sembles a long shaped pear, covered with cobwebs and tiny bits 
of bark and lichen — about six inches long and three inches 
thick at its widest part. About two-thirds of the way up is 
a tiny little entrance with its upper edge projecting well over 
the lower. The inside is warmly and thickly lined with veg- 
etable down and small feathers, and makes a warm and cosy 
nest for two e^^gs, absurdly large for so small a bird, col- 
oured a dirty white, witli an irregular zone of grey brown 
markings at the big end. The hen does all the sitting, and 
if you approach quietly and cautiously you will see her Wack 
curved bill lying on the lower edge of the entrance, ready 
to receive any tit bits that may be brought her by her most 
attentive partner. He most conscientiously does his part in 
flying from llower to flower sipping the nectar with his long 
bill, aided no doubt by his long and useful tongue. Some- 
