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 56 THE CONDOR VOL. XlI under side of a drooping palm leaf near the tip of one of the terminal pinnules. These are somewhat coucave, so that the nest is attacht by about one-half its circumference along one side, the other side remaining free. In such a position even the nimblest lizard would find it very difficult to reach; yet a further precau- tion is takeu by attaching to the bottom of the delicate structure, by means of spider webs, shreds of coarse bark, dry leaves, bits of rotten wood, etc., so that the Fig. 18. NESTS OF TROPICAL FLYCATCHERS, RHYNCHOCYCLU. S' ClNEREICEPS ON THE LEC, AND TODIRO.TRU, g whole uest is sometimes more than hMf a foot long, and closely resembles a bit of loose rubbish caught ou the end of the leaf. (See Fig. 17.) It is in nests of the fourth cls that we find the most striking examples of protective adaptation, and these for the most part iu the eat family of Tyrannidae. The nest of the splendid RoyM Flycatcher, Onycoryncus, is no less remark- able thau the bird. It is a fusiform structure, sometimes two feet in length sus- pended by the top from a long droopiug brauch or trailing liana, usually over a