THE TAHA WEAVEE BIED. 



453 



stems laid longitudinally, and interwoven in a manner that can hardly be Tiuderstood 

 without an illustration. Contrary to the usual custom of nests, in which the materials are 

 woven very smoothly, the nest of this bird is purposely constructed so as to present the 

 roughest possible exterior, all the grass stems being so arranged that their broken ends 

 protrude for several inches in a manner that reminds the observer of a militaiy " abattis," 

 a defence formed by prostrate trees with tlie ends of the branches cut off and sharpened. 

 Probablj' this structure is for the same purpose as the aliattis, and is meant to protect the 

 bird from the inroad of its enemies. Se\'eral of their curious edifices may be seen in the 

 nest-room of the British Museum. The interior of the nest is sufficiently soft and warm, 

 more so, indeed, than would be supposed from the porcupine-like aspect of the exterior 

 walls. 



The Mahali Weaver Bird is veiy social in its habits, the nests being placed in close 

 proximity to each other, a single tree often containing from thirty to forty of these 

 ingenious domiciles. The birds associate in Hocks of different sizes, varying probably 

 according to the season of the year, as is often the case with gregarious birds, whose 

 numbers are gi-eatly augmented after the breeding season by the presence of the yearling 

 young. It feeds upon insects and fniit of different kinds, and a whole flock may often be 

 seen on the ground, feeding away with great zest, and rapidly traversing the soil in search 

 of food. Its disposition is wary, and at the first sjTuptom of danger the whole flock takes 

 to wing aud Hies to a more distant tree, where the birds sit amicably together until the 

 cause of their alarm has disappeared, and then return in a body to their feeding ground. 



The colour of the Mahali Weaver Bird is brown of different depths, variegated with 

 yellowish white. The breast and abdomen are of a creamy yellow, aud the chin, throat, 

 anfl under tail-coverts are white. It is rather larger than the preceding species, measuring 

 between six and seven inches in total length. 



T.\HA WE.\VER BIRV—l'lorevs Tnhci. 



Another small species belonging to this gi'oup, called the Taha Weavek Bird, does 

 not extend its range so far north as the preceding birds, being seldom if ever seen beyond 

 the twenty -sixth degi'ee of north latitude. 



This species is verj' common, and is found plentifully in many districts north of the 

 line which has just been mentioned. Perhaps it is rather too plentiful in the estimation 

 of the agricultural population of the land which it inhabits, as it is in the habit of 

 associating in large flocks, and descending upon the cultivated lands, where it feeds upon 



