CURIOUS NESTS IN AFRICA. 
219 
to beholders, and equally so to the Goldfinches ; accordingly, 
they were observed to fasten by a small string they had 
picked up, the bending twig to a stronger and higher branch 
of the tree, and thus their nest was saved. 
Another pair happened to build in the garden of a 
naturalist, who was fond of observing the manners and habits 
of birds. They had formed the ground- work with moss and 
dried grass as usual, but on his scattering small pieces of 
wool, they in a great measure left off the use of the first 
materials, and employed the wool. He next provided them 
with cotton, which they immediately collected ; the third day 
he supplied them with down, on which they forsook both the 
others, and finished their w r ork with it. 
It is surprising, too, with what rapidity, in cases of emer- 
gency, these small birds can build a nest. A Canary was 
observed to commence her labours about five o’clock in the 
morning, from which time till near seven she worked so hard, 
that it was completely finished ; she had been often disturbed 
before, in consequence of building in inconvenient places, 
which probably induced her to use more than ordinary 
despatch in this nest, availing herself of early hours, before 
people were likely to see and interfere. 
An African traveller speaks of some singular nests built by 
birds, which he describes as resembling our Goldfinch ; but 
he probably mistook them for a family of birds nearly allied 
to them, and known to inhabit the Cape of Good Hope. For 
although Bishop Heber found Goldfinches^ at the foot of the 
Snowy Mountains in India, and in some other parts where 
they are caught and sold for about two shillings each, we are 
not aware that they are known in Africa. The account 
of the nest, however, is very curious, and, at all events, illus- 
trates the social manners of a set of little birds, like “ brethren 
dwelling together in unity.” A tree at a little distance from 
our wagon, says the traveller who noticed the fact,f had 
two remarkable nests in it. The one was about four yards 
* The Goldfinch of the East Indies is the Carduelis carriceps, a bird 
much resembling, but not exactly the same as our British species, 
t Campbell’s Travels in Africa. 
