Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1880-03-27
Some Curious Builders.

The bright and beautiful Baltimore
oriole, found all over our own country,
and to some distance both north and
south of it., constructs a wonderful nest.
1t is shaped like purse-six or seven
inches long, and three or four inches
wide-and is made of flax, hair, wool
and vegetable fibres. These are matted
together until they have become about as
thick as felt. The nest is sowed with
strong stitches of horsehair; single horse
hairs used in this way being sometimes
two feet long. When the bird is near
dwelling houses, it sometimes snatches
up threads to use instead of the horse
hair, and seamstresses need to keep
watch over their work-basket when the
oriole is abroad, for it will seize not only
thread in punches, but skeins of silk and
loose strings, to use in its nest-building.
The female bird appears to do most of
the work of building the nets, the male
| bird collecting the material for her.
| Sometimes the husband brings home
hair or other things that do not suit the
little wife, and she casts them aside and
sends him off again for something better.
At the bottom of the nest, quantity of
soft things, like cows hair, is placed, to
make a warm, soft bed. The curious
nest is hung fearlessly upon a garden
tree, the bird having no dread of human
neighbors; and, indeed, the little creature
should be protected and cherished, since,
aside from its great beauty and pleasant
song, it feeds upon caterpillars and other
insects that are a nuisance to farms and
gardens. The Baltimore oriole derives
its name from the fact that its main
colors, black and orange, were the colors
of Lord Baltimore, who founded Mary
| land. The bird is also sometimes called
golden robin and fre-bird, as it has
scarlet on its breast. 1t lays five eggs,
whitish-pink, with spots and bars of
purple.
The tailor bird of India is small bird
with short wings and long tail. 1t is a
plain-looking bird of pale brown color,
with some white ON its feathers, but it is
very wonderful as nest-builder. 1t
constructs it's nest by taking two leaves
at the end of twig and sewing them to-
gether at their edges, using its bill for a
needle, and vegetable fbres with knots
to keep them from slipping through the
leaf, for thread. Occasionally it makes
its nest of one large leaf, by sewing its
edges together; and it draws the stalk
end of the leaf over the nest so as to
} make an awning, that protects it from
the sun and rain. Inside, the nest is
HuCu Will COoeOu, SlIhy ass, fCSSCedOie
! fibres, and sometimes few feathers; and
it is made at the very end of a long
branch, where it will be out of the way
of snakes, monkeys and many unfriendly
!; intruders.
, The fairy martin, found in Australia,
, is very interesting and curious archi
; tect. 1t makes nest that is shaped like
an oil-fask, with the mouth below, and
builds it out of mud and clay, which il
: kneads in its beak at distance, ant
brings to the nest all ready for use. Si1
or seven birds work on one nest, one act
r ing as architect, while the others bring
e the material. Apparently, hot watel
4 prevents them from kneading tn,
!: clay just right, for they work only morn
f ings and evenings, except on wet days
4 when they continue their labor at mid
: day. The exterior of the nest is rough
but the inside is smooth and CAREFUL,
= lined with feathers and fine grass. Th
e fairy seems to have no rule about TIN
k place of its nest-following the fancy O
k the moment-but it must have fresh waite
a near, and not be within twenty miles Q
s. the sea. Sometimes it builds its curious
d bottle-like nest within decayed tree
1t and sometimes upon the face of a stee
If rock hundreds of nests will be built clos
e together, but without the slightest az
h proach to order; and sometimes it wi
y make regular row of nests under tn
d caves of house.-Y Youth'S Companion