568 Mr. B. Alexander — An, Ornithologicol 



everywhere^ and it appears to be equally at home among 

 the huts of a native village, in reed-beds, or in thick woods. 

 Throughout the greater porcion of the year it is found in 

 large flocks, whose proportions increase at times of feeding, 

 in the morning and evening. With them safety lies in 

 numbers, since they are constantly being preyed upon by 

 Hawks {Accijiiter minulhis) and the Black-shouldered Kite 

 [Elunus caruleus) during the daytime, and the Red-legged 

 Falcon [Melierax gabar) in the evening, when they resort 

 to the reed-beds for the night. When a flock travels over 

 a region where an attack is likely, a strong and rapid flight 

 close to the ground is resorted to ; but they do not always 

 get off scot-free, for I have more than once seen a flock 

 completely routed and one of their number borne away. In 

 one locality the flocks are often considerable, and there is 

 no better time to estimate their numbers than towards 

 evening, when they journey to the reed-beds. An ac- 

 customed track is always taken ; flock after flock will go 

 '^ swishing'^ past in almost bewildering succession to some 

 reed-bed ahead, into which they pitch like so many showers 

 of bullets. Soon among the green cover of the fish-cane 

 there will be hosts of Weavers making great chatterings, 

 and when there is a pool close by they travel to the confines 

 of the fish-cane and commence to drop down to the water to 

 take their last drink for the night, a continuous string of birds 

 circling down and up without interruption, like the endless 

 chain on a wheel. It is a pretty sight. There is neither 

 bickering nor quarrel, each bird has a chance to dip its beak 

 into the water, and only when the last bird leaves the pool does 

 the chattering or singing within the reed- bed cease. Then 

 a confused rustling of innumerable wings takes place, telling 

 the observer that these large flocks are retiring into the 

 depths of the green cover for the night. From the winter- 

 plumage to the brilliant summer-dress the change is slow, 

 and during this period all stages of plumage may be observed, 

 which impart to a flock a very mottled and curious ap- 

 pearance. By the end of January the males have completely 

 assumed their remarkable breeding-dress, but their numbers 



