578 PASSERIFORMES CHAP. 
with white streaks above and spots below, a yellow rump, and a 
white middle to the under parts. Poéphila mirabilis, one of the 
“ Grass-finches,’ shews a beautiful combination of pale green, blue, 
lilac, scarlet, yellow, black, brown, and white ; NVeochmia phaéton is 
crimson, brown, and black ; Youdia is generally crimson and black ; 
Hyphantornis cucullatus is golden-yellow, black, and chestnut ; 
Ploceus baya is yellow and brown; Textor albirostris is entirely 
black. The bill is not uncommonly coral-red, as in EHstrelda and 
other “ Wax-bills;” but it varies from red to horn-coloured in 
Vidua, and may be whitish, as in Zextor albirostris, as well as 
black, grey, rose-tinted, brownish, orange, or nearly blue. The 
feet may also be red, brown, purplish, dusky, or flesh-coloured. 
Weaver-birds are generally tame, and often approach habita- 
tions; the larger species frequenting woods and gardens, open 
country, sugar-cane fields, or reed-beds, but many of the smaller 
preferring grassy flats, bushy places, or even stony hills. They 
are usually social, and frequently pugnacious. The flight, though 
somewhat brief and heavy, is fairly rapid; Chera and Vidua rise 
with arched tail, and hover with flapping wings, at times soar- 
ing almost out of sight to descend again with great velocity. 
Sycobrotus climbs especially well, Donacicola hangs to the reeds 
like a Bunting, and indeed it is doubtful whether the Australan 
forms are not really generalized Finches. The usual utterance 
is a harsh churr, a shrill piping cry, a chattering or a twittering 
noise, often preceded by a single mournful note ; but some species 
sing fairly well in chorus. The food, generally procured upon the 
ground, consists mainly of seeds, but is varied by insects—occa- 
sionally taken on the wing,—fruits, and flowers; while the birds 
play havoc with rice and other crops, often clinging to the stems 
until they have eaten every grain from the head. 
The nest is almost invariably a large mass of roughish grass 
or flags, bristling with the thicker ends of the stalks; it is usually 
lined with finer stems, but sometimes with feathers, down, and wool, 
while sticks, twigs, roots, and the like may be added exteriorly. 
The fabric is normally “ retort-shaped,” that is to say, globular with 
a “spout ” or tubular passage, which curves downwards either from 
the middle or from the top of one side; but some of the struc- 
tures resemble flasks placed horizontally ; others have little or no 
spout, or hang by a sort of rope; and occasionally the materials do 
not quite meet above. Weaver-birds, especially the more typical 
