We investigate the degree of spatial correlation among extended structures in the LMC and SMC .
To this purpose we work with sub-samples characterised by different properties such as age and size , taken from the updated catalogue of Bica et al .
or gathered in the present work .
The structures are classified as star clusters or non-clusters ( basically , nebular complexes and their stellar associations ) .
The radius distribution functions follow power-laws ( dN / dR \propto R ^ { - \alpha } ) with slopes and maximum radius ( R _ { max } ) that depend on object class ( and age ) .
Non-clusters are characterised by \alpha \approx 1.9 and R _ { max } \la 472 pc , while young clusters ( age \la 10 Myr ) have \alpha \approx 3.6 and R _ { max } \la 15 pc , and old ones ( age \ga 600 Myr ) have \alpha \approx 2.5 and R _ { max } \la 40 pc .
Young clusters present a high degree of spatial self-correlation and , especially , correlate with star-forming structures , which does not occur with the old ones .
This is consistent with the old clusters having been heavily mixed up , since their ages correspond to several LMC and SMC crossing times .
On the other hand , with ages corresponding to fractions of the respective crossing times , the young clusters still trace most of their birthplace structural pattern .
Also , small clusters ( R < 10 pc ) , as well as small non-clusters ( R < 100 pc ) , are spatially self-correlated , while their large counterparts of both classes are not .
The above results are consistent with a hierarchical star-formation scenario for the LMC and SMC .