124 PLOCEID.E. 



that the tubular entrances are shorter than in some of the other 

 species (none of those I saw exceeded about | or 1 foot). 



"The normal number of eggs, I believe, is two, although we 

 often found more in a nest. I observed nests occasionally in 

 standing crops, attached to the tops of the jowaree stalks." 



Captain Horace Terry observes : " Between the fourteenth and 

 fifteenth milestone from Bangalore, on the Madras road, there is a 

 sort of jheel on one side of the road, which serves as a bund to the 

 Oscottah-tank on the other side. Here in the end of August 1882 

 I found P. manyar breeding in large numbers. The nests are 

 attached to reeds and bulrushes growing invariably where the water 

 was 4 or 5 feet deep. I inspected all the nests I could, but could 

 find no eggs. They were all either new nests or contained young 

 birds. Several P. baya were breeding close by, their nests being 

 attached mostly to babul or cocoanut trees. 



" I visited the same place in July 1883, and obtained several 

 eggs." 



Mr. J. E. Cripps tells us that at Furreedpore, in Eastern 

 Bengal, the Striated Weaver-bird is " very common. I cannot say 

 whether this species is a permanent resident or not. At the com- 

 mencement of May I have first noticed the Black-breasted Weaver- 

 bird and this species, frequenting the grassy churs of the district. 

 At the beginning of July the birds of this species commence to 

 build their nests in small colonies, on the long grass clumps and 

 bushes, wherever these latter are standing in water. The nest is 

 quite distinct from that of P. baya, for which it can never be mis- 

 taken. It is a shorter and thicker nest than that of P. baya, built 

 of the same materials, and generally with only an apology of a 

 tube. The eggs are laid in July and August, and are from two to 

 five in each nest. 



Lastly, Mr. Gates remarks of Pegu in general: " Commences 

 to breed rather later than P. mec/arhync7ius ; in fact it waits till 

 the elephant- grass, to which its nest is invariably attached, is high 

 and green, which does not take place till the rains are well in." 



The eggs of this species seem to average slightly smaller than 

 those of P. baya, but in every other respect they are precisely 

 similar moderately broad ovals, a good deal pointed at one end, 

 and of a perfectly pure, almost entirely glossless, white. The tex- 

 ture is very fine and compact, and the shells, though thin, are firm 

 and strong. 



In length the eggs vary from O71 to O88, and in breadth from 

 0-5 to 0-6 ; but the average is about 0-8 by 0'58. 



724. Ploceella javanensis (Less.). The Golden Weaver-bird. 



Ploceus hypoxanthus (Daud.}, Hume, Rough Draft N. & E no. 

 696 ter. 



The Golden Weaver-bird breeds abundantly throughout Lower 

 Pegu. 



