THE FINCHES. 77 



and produce their youno- regularly in captivity, so that 

 anyone who feels compunction at caging wild birds can 

 yet secure considerable variety in an aviary without 

 offending his conscience in this matter. 



Finches are not much in evidence as garden-birds in 

 India, except the House-Sparrow (Passer domesticus) who 

 ought to be banished as much as possible by every bird- 

 lover, as he bullies and drives away nicer birds ; I have 

 seen him do this even with the little Honeysuckers. 



Many species, however, are sold for aviaries in Calcutta, 

 and . elsewhere — so many, that I am not able to deal 

 with them all, and merely give a selection of species which 

 seemed particularly suitable for notice in this work. 



To commence with the Eastern or Weaver-Finches, 

 which always reside in warm climates. One of the most 

 familiar in the East is 



The Weaver-bird, called Baya by the natives. The 

 older writers confused two species under this title, and 

 not unnaturally, since where they meet, they appear to 

 inter-breed, and thus become confused themselves. The 

 true Baya (Ploceus baya) inhabits most of India and 

 Ceylon ; the female, and the male in winter, much resem- 

 ble hen Sparrows, being light brown with dark streaks ; 

 they are, however, smaller than a Sparrow, with stronger 

 bills and feet and shorter wings and tail. Moreover, 

 their plumage is more clearly marked and yellower in 

 tone. In the spring the male assumes a very handsome 

 breeding-plumage ; his head and breast become a brilli- 

 ant yellow, with the exception of the throat, which is 

 dull black ; the back is also washed with yellow, and he 



