FRINGILLID^. 235 



These birds inhabit India and Africa^ where they 

 are to be seen on trees near the banks of rivers : 

 they feed on small fruits, rice, and seeds, and do 

 considerable damage in gardens during the summer. 



Several species build curious hanging nests, com- 

 posed of the stalks of grasses, very neatly and 

 closely interwoven^ and have thus earned for them- 

 selves the name of Weaver-hlrds. 



The Philippine Weaver-bird {Floceus Fhilijyjnnus) is 

 described as suspending its nest by a cord of considerable 

 length from the branch of a tree, so as to be inaccessible 

 to snakes and monkeys. This elegant structure is said to 

 contain a chamber for tlie male, and another for the 

 female, the former being situated close to the opening at 

 the bottom of the nest, through which the birds obtain 

 access to their snug apartments. Here the male stations 

 himself, and the natives believe that he attaches to the 

 walls of his chamber a patch of soft clay, to which he 

 fastens a fire-fly to serve as a night-light. Tlie Baya of 

 India, which, if not identical with, is very nearly allied 

 to the Philippine species, is better known, and, from the 

 observations of European residents in India, we obtain 

 more accurate infoiination of its proceedings. The nest 

 of this species is usually suspended from the tips of the 

 leaves of the fan-palm, where it hangs perfectly secure 

 from all plunderers, or sometimes from the leaves of the 

 Babul, a species of mimosa, whose formidable thorns 

 serve to keep all intruders at a distance. It is composed 

 of dried grass, closely interwoven, and resembles a gradu- 

 ally enlarging purse of thirteen or fourteen inches in 

 length, and about seven inches in diameter at the lowest 

 part, where the true nest is situated. This consists only 

 of a single chamber, the opening of which is at one side, 

 access to it bemg obtained by means of a cylindrical 

 passage hanging down from the bottom of the nest. The 

 male has a separate, but less perfect nest of his own, and 

 in this Mr. Layard always found two masses of clay 

 attached on each side of the perch occupied by the bird. 

 The Cingalese asserted that these were for the reception 

 of the fire-flies, which they believe the male bird takes 

 into his abode on the approach of night; but Mr. Layard 

 was unable to verify this supposition. 



