Rrss' WEAVER. 303 



its beauty in the eyes of its possessor. Nevertheless, looking at the 

 Red-billed and Russ' Weaver side by side in an aviary, my artistic 

 sense is much better satisfied with the colouring of the commoner bird. 

 To my mind, the black mask of the Red-billed variety is just what is 

 required to redeem the face from that naked aspect which Russ' Weaver 

 presents. If I were prejudiced in favour of the more uniformly coloured 

 bird, it is possible that the charms of Q. russi might strike me much 

 as they appear to have done its discoverer. 



The more experienced dealers believe that they can recognize this 

 variety even in its winter dress, and it is certain that Mr. Abrahams 

 did correctly select one for me ; at the same time I must confess that, 

 looking at a number of Weavers out of colour, in the autumn of 1895, 

 it was more by luck than judgment that I succeeded in selecting two 

 pairs of Russ' Weavers. 



Neither the Red-billed Weaver, nor its variety, are, by any means, 

 amiable birds, being, next to the Cape Weaver (Sitagra capensisj, about 

 the most quarrelsome that I have kept. 



Illustration from living examples in the author's collection. 



TYPICAL WEAVERS. 

 PLOCEIN^E. 



THESE constitute a group not recognized as distinct by aviarists, 

 but based upon a well-defined structural character. 



Dr. Sharpe thus distinguishes the Viduince and Ploceince : " First 

 primary very small and falcate, attenuated towards the end ; this first 

 primary never reaching beyond the primary coverts, and generally 

 falling conspicuously short of the latter .... Viduince. 



" First primary large, generally obtuse at the end, and extending 

 beyond the primary coverts .... Ploceince." 



That this distinction is a real one, important as an aid to classifi- 

 cation, cannot be questioned : it is also probable that the length of this 



