The morning times., 1896-02-23
BIRDS
BUILD
HOUSES.
Smart Little Things That Also
Have Gardens.

Copyrighted, s96, 10y J. Carter Beard)
Fancy encountering in an unexplored
land, an the recesses of a primeyal forest,
Far away from human habitations, tiny
cabin set in miniature pleasure grounds
studded with brilliant flowersi
That such piece of Workmanship, more
lovely than the ingenuity Of any mere ami
nlalhas ever before been known TO con struct,
is in reality built with beaks or claws is
probably an idea less likely to enter the
mind OF the discoverer that that fairies,
after All, do exist, and flying from civilized
lands have found refuge here and that the
little house and messy meadow is one of
their places OF abode.
The architect. however, is in reality
bird, which, though allied to the magnifi-
cent birds OF paradise that also inhabit the
great island OF New Guinea, is neither re-
markablc for color or size, being OF plain
uniform reddish brown, and about the size
Of our common American robin.
As described by it's discOverer, The gar
den bird, for so he calls il, when 1t sets out
10 build one of its remarkable structures
first selects woody plant, with stem
about the height and girth of the handle of
d ltdy's parasol. This plant mast be sur
rounded 10y flat piece
Builds or the OF land on level with
l,rettis.St MoSses the ground about ii.
Around the trunk of
the shrub, which it Uses aS a center pole. the
Ntllc feathcrcd workman proceeds TO build
up, from The prettiest moses il can find
q cone about as large across its base as
dinner plate. This Is not done alone to
bcautify the cabin, but 10 strengthen its
central support, which is to sustain the en-
tire weight OF the construction. II selects
for its raficrs. the long, straight, slender
stems OF a kind OF orchid-DendrObium-
that grows in large dense TUFTS Oh the mossy
bou-hS OF lofty forest trees. sending out up
right branches about twenty inches in
length one reason the wise birds have for
selecting these stems is that The plant 10
which they belong is anapiphite OF air plant.
and requires only air ana moisture to live
and grow. The small and pretty leaves so
closely packed together viii continue alive
and fresh after The stems upon which they
grow are built into the walls OF the cabin
that would otherwise soon become I'M
slightly and fan into decay.
All about the top OF the center pole and
slanting outward from it, regularly, laid
with their upper ends resting upon the
central support ana their lower ones on
the ground, are the long stems placed
ali around, except immediately in front,
where an opening is left for a doorway
SO that when finished the cabin is quite
regular in form and conical in shape. Many
other stems are also used, and so com
pactly interviewer that the whole structure
is strong and imperyious TO the rain.
Around the central cone OF moss runs a
hoseshOe-shaped apartment or gallery. The
cabin is about twenty inches high and
twice that In diameter.
But" sass their discoYerer, 1.-THE aes-
thetic tastes OF our gardeners are not re
strictcd TO the construction Of a ca bin -
Their fondness for flowers and gardens
is sJill more remarkable. Directly in front
of the door OF their
cabin is 4 level space They Make Good
occupying at least as Housekeepers.
much ground as the
structure Itself This is the garden OF
fresh green, growing moss brought here
by the birds and kept with the utmost care
smooth and clean, entirely free from dirt
or litter OF any kind. all stones, stick fall
ing from the trees above or brought by the
wind being at once removed. The verdant
and velvet surface exhibited 10y the minia-
ture meadow does not entirely satisfy its
owners, however. Something is yet want
ing and they proceed 20 scatter over it