188 A FULL DISCOVERY.

tree, called by some the Nicobar cedar, and grow-
ing in great abundance in all the southern islands.
Its wood is hard, black, and very heavy. From
December to May it is covered with blossom, and
bears a fruit somewhat resembling a cedar or pine-
apple, but more like a berry, full of eyes or pus-
tules, discharging a gum or resinous fluid. About
these trees, when in bloom or bearing fruit, I have
seen innumerable flocks of these little birds, flying
and fluttering like bees round a tree or shrub in
full flower, and am of opinion that they there
gather the materials for their nests. I relate the
fact, having often watched them with great atten-
tion, but will not venture to affirm that I have
made a full discovery. I observed before, that
these birds dwell in cavities of rocks, like bees in
a hive, flying in and out, and building their nests
together, hke martins or swallows. The hen con-
structs a neat, large, well-shaped nest, calculated
for laying and hatching her eggs, and the cock
contrives to fix another, smaller and rather more
clumsy, close to his mate; for they are not built
for the purpose of laying eggs, but for resting-
places, whence they may take wing. If they are
robbed of them, they immediately begin to build
others, and being remarkably active, are able to
finish enough in a day to support the weight of
their bodies, though they require about three weeks