294 
INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 
bird,f but in the deep and cool shade of the forest, in- 
stead of the blooming bower. Security being obtained 
by a firm adhesion of the materials, our little brilliant 
and active architect is seldom solicitious about a great 
elevation, the height of the nest being probably rarely 
more than 6 to 12 feet from the ground ; except in erect 
sapplings, when the height may be 20 to 30 feet. The 
external materials (of 3 nests from which I now describe) 
are short and rather coarse strips of Hemlock fir bark, 
and also stalks of small tree leaves, or tough blades of 
grass ( Poa compressci) agglutinated by saliva, and thinly 
tied over with caterpillar’s silk and the linty bark of the 
dog’s bane ( Apocynum Sp.) ; to the outside appear also 
attached bits of snow-white fibrous touch-wood, and 
films of paper-birch bark ; within this first layer are 
more scraps of touch- wood, and bits of a white fungus 
( Agaricus tomeritosus ) ; after which, the rest of the man- 
ufacture, to the thickness of more than half an inch, 
consists almost wholly of slender brown strips of grape- 
vine bark, becoming thinner towards the ultimate lining 
surface, so as to appear no thicker, at length, than the 
finer sewing-thread. Sometimes, as in one of these nests, 
while making the first tenacious layer, sparing and acci- 
dental bits of thread are not refused when convenient, 
which must however seldom happen from the solitary and 
secluded habits of the species. This nest, never pensile, 
bears a great resemblance to that of the Pine Warbler, 
but the lining is neither soft nor downy. The eggs, 3 
or 4, are cream white, and pretty thickly sprinkled with 
yellowish-brown spots of two shades, becoming more 
numerous towards the greater end. Both parents, but 
particularly the male, exhibit great concern for the safety 
of their nest, whether containing eggs only or young, and 
t Sylvia sutoria ; the nest as given in Forbes’s History of India 
