VI 
A THEORY OF BIRDS’ NESTS 
127 
20. Certhiola. In these pretty little American creepers 
the sexes are alike, and they build a domed nest. 
21. Mynahs (Sturnidee). These showy Eastern starlings 
have the sexes exactly alike. They build in holes of trees. 
22. Calornis (Sturnidae). These brilliant metallic starlings 
have no sexual differences. They build a pensile covered nest. 
23. Hangnests (Ieteridse). The red or yellow and black 
plumage of most of these birds is very conspicuous, and is 
exactly alike in both sexes. They are celebrated for their 
fine purse-shaped pensile nests. 
It will be seen that this list comprehends six important 
families of Fissirostres, four of Scansores, the Psittaci, and 
several genera, with three entire families of Passeres, com- 
prising about twelve hundred species, or about one-seventh of 
all known birds. 
The cases in which, whenever the male is gaily coloured, 
the female is much less gay or quite inconspicuous are ex- 
ceedingly numerous, comprising, in fact, almost all the bright- 
coloured Passeres, except those enumerated in the preceding 
class. The following are the most remarkable : — 
1. Chatterers (Cotingidse). These comprise some of the 
most gorgeous birds in the world, vivid blues, rich purples, 
and bright reds being the most characteristic colours. The 
females are always obscurely tinted, and are often of a 
greenish hue, not easily visible among the foliage. 
2. Manakins (Pipridse). These elegant birds, whose caps 
or crests are of the most brilliant colours, are usually of a 
sombre green in the female sex. 
3. Tanagers (Tanagridse). These rival the chatterers in 
the brilliancy of their colours, and are even more varied. The 
females are generally of plain and sombre hues, and always 
less conspicuous than the males. 
4. Sugar-birds (Coerebidse). The males are a beautiful 
blue ; the females green. 
5. Pheasants (Phasianidse). These include some of the 
most brilliant and gorgeously coloured birds in the world, 
such as the peacock, gold and silver pheasants, fire-backed 
pheasants, and many others ; but the females are always com- 
paratively dull coloured, and generally of highly protective tints. 
