Contributions to the theory of natural selection. A series of essays ... By Alfred Russel Wallace ...

214 A THEORY OF BIRDS' NESTS.
having a red rump, or being white spotted. They
differ from most others of the family in building
domed nests.
20. Certhiola. In these pretty little American
creepers the sexes are alike, and they build a domed
nest.
21. Mynahs (Sturnidae). These showy Eastern starlings have the sexes exactly alike. They build in holes
of trees.
22. Calornis (Sturilidm). These brilliant metallic
starlings have no sexual differences. They build a
pensile covered nest.
23. Hangnests (Icteridm). The red or yellow and
black plumage of most of these birds is very conspicuous, and is exactly alike in both sexes. They are
celebrated for their fine purse-shaped pensile nests.
It will be seen that this list comprehends six important families of Fissirostres, four of Scansores, the
Psittaci, and several genera, with three entire families
of Passeres, comprising about twelve hundred species,
or about one-seventh of all known birds.
The cases in which, whenever the male is gaily
coloured, the female is much less gay or quite inconspicuous, are exceedingly numerous, comprising, in
fact, almost all the bright-coloured Passeres, except
those enumerated in the preceding class. The following are the most remarkable: —
1. Chatterers (Cotingidae). These comprise some of
the most gorgeous birds in the world, vivid blues,