784 
THE NEST OF A HARVEST MOUSE. 
The most beautiful of all the nests of quadrupeds, built amid 
the straws of corn. 
Marvels of the Universe 
Of late years, owing to the installation of 
actual specimens of these curious structures in 
several of our museums, the public has been 
made familiar with the fact that the orang- 
utan, or mias, the great red ape of Sumatra 
and Borneo, makes a practice of building large 
platforms of boughs and twigs high in the 
forest trees which form its abode. As a rule, 
the smaller trees are selected as the situation 
of the nests, in consequence of being protected 
from the wind and storms by their taller neigh- 
bours, and they are, in consequence, generally 
placed at a height of between twenty and 
fifty feet from the ground. Not infrequently 
several of these nests, or, rather, platforms, are 
built in a single tree; and it appears to be a 
very general belief among the Dyaks that 
each pair of apes constructs a fresh nest every 
night, although it has been remarked that if 
this were really the case more nests would be 
found than can actually be seen. The main use 
of these platforms is as sleeping places, where 
the owners can remain dry and comfortable 
till the morning sun has dispersed the nocturnal 
dews and vapours at lower levels; although 
it may be regarded as certain that the maternal 
mias avails herself of the structure for the 
accommodation of her offspring. 
That various other mammals, and especially 
rodents, make nests will of course be readily 
understood ; but what has been stated with 
regard to the species forming the main subject 
of this article will apply with but little modi- 
fication to the others. 
Wels, ILMWISIL WY IIL Jaa 
BY JOHN J. WARD, F.E.S. 
THERE are fleas and fleas. The dog flea is not 
the same species as that which patronizes the 
and the common flea which 
inflicts its surprise attacks upon 
without the slightest respect of person, is still 
another distinct species; indeed, each kind 
more or less restricts its attention to its respec- 
domestic cat; 
mankind 
tive host—although an occasional misadventure 
may prompt a species to make the best of a 
bad job. 
The entomologist is able to produce 
