306 FOREIGN FINCHES IN CAPTIVITY. 



Dr. Russ' Weavers, when in colour, seeni to have had continual 

 disputes ; Napoleon, Orange and Madagascar Weavers each fighting the 

 others. In my bird-room, on the contrary, the Comoro Weaver was 

 master of them all ; and both Orange and Napoleon Weavers fly 

 without hesitation from the Madagascar Weaver, never attempting to 

 hold their own against him. 



" The fights between these Weavers are very comical. The 

 Madagascar Weaver bristles up the neck-feathers, stoops his head 

 downwards, holds the beak horizontally, like a lance in rest, at the 

 same time he lets his wings droop and likewise bends his tail down- 

 wards. The Fire Finch bristles up the feathers of the nape, like the 

 mane of a lion, and also the short soft feathers of the crown ; at the 

 same time he stretches his entire body perpendicularly, and assumes 

 a most extraordinary position. Thus they stand opposite to one 

 another ; now the Fire Finch presses the Madagascar Weaver, so that 

 the latter suddenly hops aside, then suddenly the former makes a rush 

 and again puts him to flight. Then one wheels to the right, the other 

 to the left, each to as elevated a roosting-place as possible, whence they 

 hiss out their hoarse notes against each other, which constitute their 

 song of war, victory, and love. 



" Before I more thoroughly understood the peculiarities of all 

 these Weaver-birds, I always offered them the greatest possible variety 

 of different materials for building their nests. Thus, at one time, I 

 imagined that fresh blades of grass and, at another time, that cocoa- 

 fibre would be welcome to them. Every breeder can, however, soon 

 satisfy himself of the fact that most Weavers, which find their way into 

 our bird-rooms, choose by preference agave or aloe-fibre. 



" The Madagascar Weaver first completed a nest when in grey 

 plumage, but he tore it to pieces again, and carried on the game of 

 construction and destruction for a considerable time. At length, in the 

 middle of the month of June, when he was again glowing in full 

 ornamental plumage, and had just completed the building of a nest on 

 the usual lines, I noticed that the female also, which up to that time 

 had been perfectly idle, was busily looking about for suitable building 

 materials, and carrying them into the nest. Whereas, up to this time, 

 the male had always pursued his wife and chased her away from food, 

 water, etc., he now commenced quite a peculiar love-sport. Uttering a 

 shrill sound like a bat, the gorgeous Weaver fluttered with quivering 

 wings above the Sparrow-grey female, followed it in all its movements, 

 not, however, as previously hunting it, but courting, whizzing about 

 with extraordinary gestures, similar to his fighting action, with drooping 



