with fuch dexterity the edges of the leaves feleded 
foi* this purpofe, that they feem rather to have been 
connecfted by human art, than that of an uninftruded 
animal. When the operation of fewing the leaves 
is finifhed, the cavity is lined M'ith feathers, and 
down colleded from various vegetables. The fize of 
this bird is very fmall: its length fcarce exceeding 
three inches, and its weight proportionally light. 
The eggs, if there be no miftake in the reports of 
thofe who have feen them, arc faid fcarce to exceed 
the fize of what arc commonly, but crroneoufly, 
termed ant*s eggs, (which in reality are the cafes in¬ 
cluding the aurelise or pupne of thofe infedls.) The 
color of the bird is a pale yellow. It is, however, 
principally on the faith of drawings that we are ena¬ 
bled to dcfcribe the bird itfelf, which, though the 
neft is often feen in mufcums, does not yet appear 
to have been in the polTeflion of any fcientific Eu¬ 
ropean naturalift. It is an inhabitant of feveral parts 
of India. In forming its nefl: it fometimes makes 
ufe of a dead or withered leaf, which it connecfls to 
a living one; at other times ufcs but one leaf, fewing 
together the oppofite edges. A nefl: of this bird has 
been figured in Mr. Pennant’s Indian Zoology, in 
which the former of thefe methods has been praftifed. 
It has been already obferved, that it is chiefly 
amongfl: the birds of India that thefe extraordinary 
inftances of ingenuity occur. In Europe, the dan¬ 
gers to which thefe animals are liable during their 
ftate of incubation are comparatively few; while 
in India, where every thicket conceals the gliding 
ferpent. 
