HYPHANTOKNIS MARIQUENSIS 407 



they commence building their kidney-shaped nests very early 

 in the spring, towards the end of July or beginning of August, 

 when many of the males still retain their immature or winter 

 dress, but the nests are not completed, or the eggs laid, as a 

 rule, until the beginning of November. As a breeding place 

 these birds prefer reed-beds, if any are available, but should 

 there be none, they suspend their nests from trees and bushes 

 overhanging water, or occasionally over dry ground. When 

 built among reeds, the nests are usually attached to two stems 

 by the sides ; but when in trees they are suspended from the 

 drooping twigs. Like most of the Weaver-Birds this species 

 becomes very tame during the breeding season, and it is a 

 pleasing sight to watch the busy birds as they are engaged in 

 constructing their ingeniously formed nests. They work with 

 the greatest energy, the male fetching the long green grass- 

 stems out of which the nests are woven, and usually assisting 

 from the outside by passing one end through to the female in- 

 side the nest, she passing it back again, and so on. Whilst 

 engaged at this work the birds frequently hang back down- 

 wards with extended wings, swaying gently to and fro, and all 

 the time keeping up a ceaseless chattering. In districts where 

 the Sanseviera grows the nests of the Masked Weaver-Birds 

 are often constructed entirely of the marginal fibres of this 

 plant. 



" The entrance to the nest is from below, the nest itself 

 being shaped like a retort without a neck, or the shell of a 

 garden snail. Although this species subsists largely on grain 

 and grass-seed during winter, it feeds freely on insects during 

 summer. The young are fed on soft larvae, caterpillars and 

 small grasshoppers. They remain in the nest for about thirty 

 days. The eggs of this Weaver, usually three in number, vary 

 remai'kably in colour, even in the same nest. They are of 

 some shade of white, cream-colour, pink, green, or blue ; often 



