THK RED-BILLED WEAVER. 301 



sounds somewhat softer, a kind of tck. The nest is completed in from 

 about seven to eight days, the male working at it about two hours in 

 the early morning, and one hour in the afternoon. Sometimes it 

 proceeds more quickly, but on the other hand frequently more slowly. 

 The Dioch (another trivial name for this species), however, very often 

 leaves a nest uncompleted, or pulls it to pieces again, in order to 

 commence a new one, and before a brood is actually produced ; it 

 usually builds quite a number of nests, more or less perfect, until at 

 last the female chooses one to her taste. Indeed, as already mentioned, 

 we find a similar aspect of affairs in almost all the other Weaver- 

 birds, and, therefore, need say no more about it. The completed nest is 

 spherical, with lateral entrance hole, and proportionally small, only of 

 about the bulk of a strong man's fist. It looks most beautiful when 

 formed solely of agave-fibre, very firm, and in all parts symmetrically 

 strong, but plaited so thinly that one may see the eggs by looking up 

 from below it. The laying consists of from three to seven eggs. 

 Duration of incubation fourteen days." Dr. Russ adds that it is of the 

 utmost importance to make sure that both sexes are ready to breed 

 simultaneously. This bird is absolutely hardy and will pass the winter 

 without heat in perfect safety. In 1896 one of my males of this 

 species, instead of retaining its usual characteristics when donning its 

 nuptial dress, assumed the plumage of Russ' Weaver, proving con- 

 clusively that the latter (which has been regarded as a quite distinct 

 species) is merely a different phase of the same bird, the absence of 

 the black mask being probably due to local weakness. 



As the two forms are frequently shot out of the same flock 

 (Shelley), and are constantly imported together, this fact is less surprising 

 than it might otherwise be thought. 



Illustrations from living examples in the author's possession. 



