234 THE FURTHERED TRIBES. 



is tlic most striking. It is composed of very small birds, mostly not larger than 

 canaries. The males, during the breeding season, are decorated with exceedingly long 

 tail-feathers, often four times the length of the bird itself, and which, however ornamental, 

 must rather impede the action of flight. Little or nothing is known of the habits and 

 maimers of the whidah finches in a state of nature, but they have alwaj-s been among the 

 most favourite cage-birds ; and although not very frequent m the aviaries and houses of 

 this country, they are common in those of France and other parts of the continent. 



Numbers of these, and the other pretty finches of the same country, are imported into 

 France by the Senegal traders, and sold to the marchamh dcs oivcaii.r of Paris. A resident 

 in that city states that he was*not a little surprised to find between a hundred and fifty 

 and two hundred of these inhabitants of the torrid zone flying and sporting about in a 

 small, dark, dirty room, transformed into a sort of aviary, in one of the meanest houses 

 on the Quai Voltaire, two rooms only of which were tenanted by a piarchand des oiseam; 

 his birds living in one, and himself and his family li\iiig in the other. Tie adds : " We 

 have even been assured that these ingenious peoj^le, who are really practical ornitho- 

 logists, contrive to breed several of these African natives in these dingy quarters." 



This bird is less In size than the V. 2MnaUsca ; the bill is also thicker and broader at 

 the top. The foui- middle tail-feathers are greatly elongated. The ordinary tail-feathers, 

 four on eacb side, ap slightly rounded. In the adult the general colour is deep glossy 

 blue-black. 



THE -iELLOW- BACKED WHlBAH.f 



The tail of this bird is remarkably broad, fan-shaped, and flat ; and as the under 

 tail-feathers arc very long, it is probable that the tail is often elevated, or, at least, 

 spread out. The general colour of the phunage is a fidl and intense black, glossy, but 

 without any reflexions ; the feathers of the head and neclc are very closely set, 

 although not short, and have an inclination upwards. 



THE PHILIPPINE GEOSBEAK.J 



The Philippine Grosbeak is one of the best known of the genus ; its general colour is 

 dull yellow, blotclied with brown ; the throat is black. It is said to be very common in 

 Dukhun ; and there are four wells, overhung by a tree, where their nests are now seen 

 pendent. The nest is woven in the shape of an inverted flask, the entrance being at the 

 extremity of a prolonged neck, through which is the passage to a snug liltle chamber in 

 tlie round body of the nest itself. These birds live in small commiuiities, and are very 

 nois}' in their labours. They associate so readily ^nth the conunou sparrow, that at the 

 season of the grass seeds, Colonel Sykes, in firing into a flock of sparrows on the grass- 

 jjlots in his <jwn ground, killed as many weaver-birds as sparrows. 



The peciJiar position of the nests of the wea^■er-bird protects them, to a great extent, 

 from their enemies the monkeys, but more especially from the deadly attacks of tho 

 snake tribes, which abound in these regions. Dr. .Smith, in his " Zoology of South 

 Africa," expresses his decided opinion, tliat the fear of injury from small tpiadrupeds and 

 snakes operates upon tlic birds of that country in their selection of the trees on which 

 they shall build. The influence which snakes produce upon these birds, when they 

 come in contact with them, is very singular. Tlic boom-slange, which, however, is not 



• Viduu C'liryHonotus Swaiii. t FnngiUii Si)iuu». 1 I'loctus PhilippciisiH — t'uv. 



