Proceedings. 77 



A small bird, the White-browed Fantail (Leiicocerca alho- 

 fnmtata), with a good deal the form of the Shrikes, fi-equeuts 

 gardens and roadsides at Hoshungabad and Itarsi, and is of 

 very restless habits. I watched one playing strange antics, 

 fluttering up and down a Banana leaf, all the time spreading 

 out its wings and tail. It has a gushing little song, described 

 by Jerdon as " consisting of several notes following one another 

 in a regular descending scale." 



The visitor to India cannot fail to see the nests of the 

 Weaver-bird (Ploceiis hinja), which are familiar sights to him 

 before he finds out the builder, a bird in general appearance 

 not unlike our Yellowhammer. From the train I more than 

 once saw six or eight of these nests in one tree, often in an 

 Acacia. At Hirankhera several imperfect nests were hung to 

 the leaves of Palms that grew on the edge of the tank. It 

 will be seen that these nests have no bottom where eggs could 

 possibly lie, but only a perch or swing where the male bird 

 can roost. When the nest is completed, one of the two 

 entrances is closed, and the other is prolonged. It may be 

 doubted if any other bird has so much cunning in proportion 

 to its size. Not only does the Weaver-bird build its nest with 

 such skill, but it is often tamed and taught to perform tricks. 

 Jerdon, quoting Mr. Blyth, says: — "Exhibitors carry them 

 about, we beheve, to all parts of the country : and the usual 

 procedure is, when ladies are present, for the bird, on a sign 

 from its master, to take a cardamon or sweetmeat in its bill, 

 and deposit it between a lady's lips, and repeat this offering 

 to every lady present ; the bird following the look and gesture 

 of its master. A miniature cannon is then brought, which 

 the bird loads with coarse grains of powder one by one, or 

 more commonly with small balls of powder made up for the 

 purpose ; it next seizes and skilfully uses a small ram-rod ; 

 and then takes a lighted match from its master, which 



it apphes to the touch-hole We have seen the little 



bird apply the match five or six times successively before the 

 powder ignited, which it finally did with a report loud enough 

 to alarm all the Crows in the neighbourhood, while the little 

 Baya remained perched on the gun, a^Dparently quite elated 

 with its performance." 



