316 FOREIGN FINCHES IN CAPTIVITY. 



" The scene in the tree almost baffles description. Each bird and 

 his mate thought only of their own nest. How they selected it I 

 know not, and I should like much to have seen them arrive. I 

 suppose the sharpest took the best nests, for they varied much in 

 condition. Of some of the nests, two-thirds remained, whilst others 

 were very nearly all blown away. Some of the birds attempted to 

 steal grass from other nests, but generally got pecked away. 



" As the wind was blowing freshly, the nests swung about a good 

 deal ; and it was pretty to see a little bird fly up in a great hurry 

 with a long bit of grass in his beak. He would sit outside the nest 

 holding on by his claws, with the grass under them. He would then 

 put the right end into the nest with his beak, and the female inside 

 would pull it through and put it out for him again ; and thus the 

 plaiting of the nest went on. All this was done amidst tremendous 

 chattering, and the birds seemed to think it great fun. When a piece 

 was used up one woiild give the other a peck, and he or she would 

 fly off for more material, the other sitting quietly till the worker 

 returned. Nests in every stage of building afforded every position for 

 the bird, who seemed at home in all of them. The joy, the life, the 

 activity, and general gaiety of the birds I shall never forget. 



" August 1 8. Noticed to-day how the birds obtain their grass. 

 The little bird alights at the edge of the high strong Scenta grass 

 (Andropogon euripda ?j with its head down, and bites through the edge 

 to the exact thickness which it requires. It then goes higher up on 

 the same blade of grass, and having considered the length needed, 

 bites through it again. It then seizes it firmly at the lowest notch 

 and flies away. Of course, the strip of grass tears off and stops at 

 the notch. It then flies along, with the grass streaming behind it. 

 As the edge of the grass is much serrated, the bird has to consider 

 and pass it through the work the right way. This serration renders 

 it so difficult to pull a nest to pieces, and makes the same nest last 

 for years." 



Mr. Holdsworth, in a paper on Ceylonese birds, says : " I have 

 never seen the nest of this species in any other than ordinary branching 

 trees ; but Layard says it builds on palms and other trees indis- 

 criminately." 



Dr. Russ points out that four allied species are offered in the 

 bird-market under the name of Baya Weavers, viz. : Ploceus baya, P. 

 manyar, P. bengalensis and P. hypoxanthus : he speaks very highly of 

 their nest-building, in which I quite agree with him, but when he says 

 they are altogether peaceable, I can only wonder where he obtained 



