12 



a permanent cure, however, for I never had to punish 

 him again. 



As an antithesis to this, let me instance a very 

 pleasant little friendship which sprung up between a 

 Napoleon and an Orange Bishop. They seemed only 

 happy and contented when in each other's immediate 

 company, and it was somewhat unusual to catch them 

 apart. At night they slept close together, and during 

 the day would both work on the same nest building 

 operations. When they were tired of this they played 

 follow-my-leader ! Away would go the Orange Bishop 

 with Master Napoleon gravely hopping after him. If 

 Master Bishop peered inquisitively at anything that 

 caught his eye, then so did the Napoleon ; and if it 

 was a tearaway fl\^ then there would be commotion 

 indeed ! Backwards and forwards the Orange Bishop 

 would dash, and helter skelter went Master Napoleon 

 after him. Oh ! it was a game — for these two. The 

 other birds tried to get out of their way and held on 

 tight, but were sometimes ignominiously bowled over. 



It is hardly necessar}^ for me to say much respect- 

 ing the wants of Weavers generally. Plenty of seed 

 and water will satisfy them, and they thoroughly 

 enjoy grass in the ear and mealworms. Bathing they 

 delight in like most birds, and sometimes soak them- 

 selves and everything else within reach, three or four 

 times a day. The various changes of plumage are 

 well known, and make one almost incapable of be- 

 lieving that the bird in its gorgeous summer dress is 

 the same one which a few short weeks previously was 

 an insignificant brown-looking creature. 



Not the least wonderful thing about Weavers is 

 their marvellous habit of building nests all over the 



