THE NAPOLEON WEAVER. 287 



customers ; for whilst they do not exactly show themselves snappish 

 and quarrelsome towards weaker birds, nevertheless, they scare and 

 terrify them continually by their restlessness. 



For this reason these Weaver-birds themselves hardly ever breed 

 successfully ; as they are too restless for nest-biiilding, and in their 

 grey plumage again too timid, so that they permit themselves to be 

 chased too readily by other birds. Nevertheless, it is quite possible to 

 breed them, if one observes their peculiarities and seeks to supply their 

 natural requirements." 



" Herr Schneider observed that the males, if freely fed with fresh 

 ants' cocoons, did not entirely lose their colours, but always continued 

 more or less spotted with black and yellow. On an average the 

 ornamental dress lasts fully nine months." 



" The love-sport of this Weaver, as well as the fiery and, never- 

 theless, not dangerous fights of the males, are very interesting. A 

 Napolean-bird, in full dress, puffs up its plumage into a round ball of 

 feathers, and buzzes hither and thither like a humble-bee, whilst con- 

 tinually bristling up and smoothing down its feathers alternately, 

 chases every associate of its own, or even of allied species, flies away 

 from it, chases it again, and then gives utterance to its marvellous 

 hissing love-song, which Alexander Von Homeyer compares with the 

 call-note of the Brambling." 



" Much in the same way, whether in the bird-room or in a roomy 

 cage, suitably fitted up for the purpose, the male weaves between birch 

 or other twigs, or even close to a slender fork of a branch, a circular 

 wreath, usually standing upright, more rarely lying obliquely, and 

 almost horizontally ; this it then arches over, so that a longish round 

 purse is formed, with an entrance passage projecting half way from 

 the side. Many males, however, never make a single attempt at nest- 

 building, because they are too restless, others weave very zealously, but 

 produce no better result than the wreath at most ; only individuals 

 actually complete the nest, and such a master-builder is very valuable 

 for breeding, because, without resting, he constructs several breeding 

 places in succession. 



" The laying consists almost uniformly of four eggs. The nestling 

 down of the young is yellowish- white, with white waxy skin to the 

 beak, and the young plumage closely resembles that of the adult female, 

 only it is clearer whitish-grey. The first change of colour takes place 

 as early as the following year, simultaneously with that of the adult 

 male, moreover, it is perfect, only the yellow does not seem so beauti- 

 fully deep and intense." 



