4fiO XELK'URVIUS NELICOURVI 



of quills brownish black, with their inner edges whitish ash like the under 

 wing-coverts ; a shade of yellow along the bend of the wing ; the olive green 

 of the lower neck extending across the crop, separating the yellow throat 

 from the dusky grey under surface of the body ; under tail-coverts chestnut. 

 Iris brown ; bill black ; tarsi and feet reddish brown. Total length 58 

 inches, culmen 07, wing 3-15, tail 2-25, tarsus 0-85. Saralalam 

 (Crossley). 



Female, adult. Differing in the colouring of the head only, which is 

 yellow, with the back of it olive green, passing into black on the hinder half 

 of the ear-coverts, and there is an olive Islack band through the eye. Wing 

 2-95. Nosi Vola (Crossley). 



Immature. Differing from the last in the forehead, crown, back of neck 

 and dark parts of sides of head being olive gi'een like the back. 



Xelicourv's Weaver is confined to the Island of Mada- 

 gascar. 



According to M. Grandidier, it inhabits the forests of the 

 coast, especially those of the east and north-east of the island, 

 where it is to be met with in fairly large flocks, and Pollen 

 found them associating with Shrikes, such as Artamia bicolor 

 and Galicalicus. They are active in their habits and noisy, 

 especially in the mornings and evenings, and feed on seeds, 

 berries and insects. Like most other AVeavers, they roost in 

 colonies ; their nests, artistically constructed of blades of 

 grass firmly woven and tied together, are described as of the 

 form of a gourd with a long slender neck bent downwards 

 forming the entrance passage. They are hung from slender, 

 flexible boughs, so that they sway with the slightest wind, and 

 as many as thirty or forty may be counted on the same tree. 

 The eggs, four or five in number, are pure green, and measure 

 0-8 to 0-88 X 0-64. 



These birds are known to the natives as the " Fodisay," 

 which means Inferior Finches. 



