e nest, not only by the manner in which
it is made, but by the object it is intended to serve. The mouse
chooses in the midst of its usual domain a tuft with leaves more or
less crossed; but not too inextricable, so that there may remain in
the midst an empty space, in the centre of which the work will be
arranged. Great ingenuity is shown in the preliminaries; the mouse
simplifies its task by utilising material within its reach instead of
going afar to collect them with trouble. The little animal examines
the thicket, and on reflection chooses some thirty leaves which appear
suitable. Then, without detaching them, it tears each into seven or
eight threads which are held together by the base, and remain attached
to the reeds. It is a clever idea to avoid losing a natural point of
support. The little bands being thus prepared, they are interlaced and
crossed with much art, the animal comes and goes, placing first one of
them, then another above, taken from a different leaf. It has soon
woven a ball about the size of the fist, and hollowed out the
interior. (Fig. 30.) Delicate materials are not lacking around to make
a soft bed. The mouse gleans and constantly brings in the light down
of the willow, grains with cottony crests, and the petals of flowers.
This is all carefully fitted, and when the edifice is completed the
female retires into it to bring forth her young, which are there well
sheltered against the dangers without, and the caprices of storms and
floods. The nest is made with as much delicacy as that of any bird,
and no other mammal except Man is capable of executing such weaver's
work.

_The art of sewing among birds._--There are birds which have succeeded
in solving a remarkable difficulty. Sewing seems so ingenious an art
that it must be reserved for the human species alone. Yet the Tailor
Bird, the _Orthotomus longicauda_, and other species possess the
elements of it. They place their nests in a large leaf which they
prepare to this end. With their beaks they pierce two rows of holes
along the two edges of the leaf; they then pass a stout thread from
one side to the other alternately. With this leaf, at first flat, they
form a horn in which they weave their nest with cotton or hair. (Fig.
31.) These labours of weaving and sewing are preceded by the spinning
of the thread. The bird makes it itself by twisting in its beak
spiders' webs, bits of cotton, and little ends of wool. Sykes found
that the threads us