File:The American Museum journal (c1900-(1918)) (17540236053).jpg

Title: The American Museum journal
Identifier: americanmuseumjo16amer (find matches)
Year: c1900-(1918) (c190s)
Authors: American Museum of Natural History
Subjects: Natural history
Publisher: New York : American Museum of Natural History
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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The nest of the white-throated spinetail is characteristic of spinetail nests in general, composed of sharp thorns and twigs and entered by a tubular passage. The nest is placed in a low thorn bush, and if it is touched or shaken the young of this species, when nearly fledged, have the singular habit of running out, jumping to the ground, and concealing themselves in the long grass the mud-filled nests, or masses of drift as the case may be, become tenanted by many forms of insect life, soon developing into favorite limiting grounds for various species of insect- feeding birds. These gradually tear them to pieces and often pierce them through and through with tiuuiels in .search of their insect prey. It was such a ragged piece of drift that this particular pair of spinetails had laid claim to. When discovered, the interior was pierced by several tunnels. One of these had been clo.sed at one end with leaves and vegetable fibers, and a large nest cavity had been excavated at about its middle. Some dry leaves and wood fiber were there as a nest lining and, as an inner nest lining, the same kind of gray lichens as in the nests of the other five species of spinetail. Outwardly, the nest was a mere bunch of drift grass: the site chosen and the materials employed were wholly different from those used by the allied species. In the use of the gray lichens for an inner nest lining however, we find a trait common to all. 260 The question naturally arises, "Is the use of this gray lichen for the inner lining of the nest cavity a custom descended from distant common ancestors?" There is perhaps no group of birds in all the tropics that will more richly repay careful study of its nesting habits, than the fly- catchers. There is certainly no group in which occurs a greater variety of nests. Some species for instance build tiny, frail, lichen- covered nests, as dainty as any of those built by the humming birds. Some weave struc- tures that might well serve as a model for the African weaver birds. Certain flycatchers, on the other hand, build bulky rough nests that remind one of the work of jays or crows. Some members of the group are secretive, constructing their nests in the most sheltered and retired spots in the thick forest, hidden among bunches of leaves, or otherwise con- cealed. A few nest near the ground; others place their nests high up in the tree tops, while in the open plains districts of the great river basins, there are perhaps few objects more ))r()minoiit in the landscape than the /

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