. Human physiology : designed for colleges and the higher classes in schools, and for general reading. NEST OF THE BAYA. cestral birds have ever done. Most birdsnests are constructed after the same generalpattern. But sometimes we observe strik-ing peculiarities to subserve some specialpurpose. Fig. 187 represents the nest ofthe Baya, a little bird of Hindoostan. Itis in the shape of a bottle, and is made oflong grass. It is suspended from a slen-der branch of a tree, so that monkeys,serpents, <fec, cannot reach it. The en-trance to the nest is made on the underside, so that these animals c
. Human physiology : designed for colleges and the higher classes in schools, and for general reading. NEST OF THE BAYA. cestral birds have ever done. Most birdsnests are constructed after the same generalpattern. But sometimes we observe strik-ing peculiarities to subserve some specialpurpose. Fig. 187 represents the nest ofthe Baya, a little bird of Hindoostan. Itis in the shape of a bottle, and is made oflong grass. It is suspended from a slen-der branch of a tree, so that monkeys,serpents, <fec, cannot reach it. The en-trance to the nest is made on the underside, so that these animals cannot enter,while the bird itself can readily fly in. Itis divided into apartments, in one of whichthe female sits upon the eggs, while in theother the male bird solaces his companionwith his song whilst she is occupied in ma-ternal cares. In Fig. 188 is seen the nestof another little eastern bird, which withfilaments of cotton taken from the cottonplant, sews leaves together with its beakand feet, so as to conceal the inclosed nestfrom its enemies. FIG. NESTof the Tailor Bird. MAN AND THE INFLKKIt 351 Contrivances in the honey-comb. Mathematical principles exactly applied. 536. While there is no change in the acts of instinct theyare marked by perfection. That is, they are perfectly adaptedto the purposes to be effected and to the circumstances underwhich they are performed. The Creator, who directs the im-pulse that governs the animal, in this case as well as in allothers, accurately fits the means to the ends to be is nothing in which this perfection of instinct is bettershown than in the construction of the honey-comb. The cellsare made hexagonal, because in this way all the space is occu-pied—there is no waste of room. If the cells were made cir-cular, there would not only be a waste of room, but a largoquantity of material would be needed to fill up the spaces be-tween the cells. The difference can be seen in the two Figures189 and 19
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