„ >779- - Their induftry feems almoft equal to that of the bee; through- December. J *— out the day they appear to be bufily employed in carrying a fine fpecies of grafs, which is the principal material they employ for the purpofe of eredting this extraordinary work, as well as for additions and repairs. Though my ihort Stay in the country was not fufficient to fatisfy me by ocular proof, that they added to their neft as they annually increafed in numbers, ftill from the many trees which I have feen borne down with the weight, and others which I have obferved with their boughs completely covered over, it would appear that this really was the cafe; when the tree, which is the fupport of this aeriel city, is obliged to give way to the increafe of weight, it is obvious that they are no longer protedted, and arc under the neceflity of rebuilding in other trees. One of thefe deferted nefts I had the curiofity to break down, fo as to inform myfelf of the internal ftrudture of it, and found it equally ingenious with that of the external. There are many entrances, each of which forms a regular ftreet, with nefts on both fides, at about two inches diftance from each other. The grafs with which thefe Birds build, is called the Boih- man’s grafs; and I believe the feed of it to be their principal food; though on examining their nefts I found the wings and legs of different infedts. From every appearance, the neft which I diffedted had been inhabited for many years; and fome parts of it were much more complete than others: this, therefore, I conceive nearly to amount to a proof, that they added to it at different times, as they found neceffary, from the in- ^ creafe of the family, or rather I ihould fay, the nation or com- '— ■— ’ munity. Upon leaving Rie Beck’s Caftle, I directed my courfe thro Swart Land, towards the Groena Kloaf, where I arrived the following day, and found the farmers engaged in gathering in their harveft. In the evening of the twenty-firft of December, I arrived at the Cape, after a journey of fix months and five days. OBSERVATIONS
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