M7 



PLOT! 



PLOCKIX.fi. 



it, and found it equally ingenious with that of the external. Then 

 are many entrant**, each of which forms * regular street, with nests 

 eo both sides, at about two inches' distance from each other. The 

 grass with which they build Is called the Boihrnaa's Onus, and I 

 better* the eeed of it to be their principal food, though, on examining 

 their noetf. I found the wings and leg* of different insect*. Prom 

 very appearance, the neat which I dissected had been inhabited for 

 many yean, and aome parU were much mom complete than others. 

 Thu therefore I oonoeiTe to amount nearly to a proof that the animals 

 added to it at different times, a* they found it necessary, from the 

 increase of their family, or rather of the nation and community." 

 One of thoee bird towns is also figured in Mr. Wood'* ' Zoography, 1 



and we here preaent a iketcli of part of the plate. 



: 



> A ft Iran Neil*. 



Another Wearer' nest, that of P. icteroefphalia, Svr., brought 

 together with the male, female, and egg*, from South Africa to Mr. 

 Swainnon, ha* been described by him, a representation of the nest of 

 which we give in the next column. 



We mil-join illustrations of some of the more remarkable species of 

 this family. 



Plocfta i/iilonotiu. Vigors. Thin is the P. itittimoliu of Smith (' South 

 African Quarterly Journal '), and P. Jtaricepi of Swainson (' Birds of 

 West Africa'). 



I >r. Smith states that this Weaver inhabits the districts bordering 

 on the sooth-east coast of Africa, but he had not seen nor heard of it 

 hiring been found to the westward of Kamrland. It is rare, and 

 generally is seen on the banks of rivers. From the trees that over- 

 hang the waters these birds suspend their nests of a somewhat kidney 

 form, composed of blades of grass so closely interwoven as to form a 

 complete protection against the weather. 



F. Cytntu, Smith (P. Abyainiaeut, Cuvier). Dr. Smith states that 

 it is diffused over the more southerly district* of South Africa, and 

 that flock of from ten to forty individuals are often to be seen on or 

 ear the edge* of marines and rivers. From the trees or shrubs which 

 fringe tboe rivers they suspend, he says, their nests, five or six of 

 which are sometime* attached to a single branch. These nests are 

 somewhat kidney-shapml, with the entrance towards the upper end 

 and directed downward*. Dr. Smith nd<l that trees which overhang 

 pools of water are invariably preferred, and the twig* which approach 

 nearest the water are commonly best supplied with nests. 



The head-quarters of P. raoourriu and P. ocularita must be looked 

 or, according to Dr. Smith, to the northward of the Tropic of Capri 



Xet of Plocna icttroefflialxi. 



} .'-V 



Ycllow-Crowntd Wearer (Plocau tpilonottu). 



corn ; at least the paucity of specimens to the southward of it would, 

 in his opinion, warrant such an inference. During a residence of 

 fourteen years in South Africa, he only met with four specimens of 

 P. ocutariiu and ten of P. tuliaureut. Tho specimens of P. lubaureu* 

 procured by himself were all killed in the neighbourhood of Algoa 

 Bay, and those contained in the collections submitted to his inspection 

 were either obtained in the same locality or more to the eastward. 



I >r. Smith states that there does not appear among the individuals 

 of /'. oralariia any disposition to congregate ; at least he rarely found 

 more than the male and his female associated together; and these 

 were generally discovered in retired situations, well supplied with 

 trees, from a branch of some of which is suspended the nest, formed 

 of delicate fibres of bark closely interwoven, so fashioned as to present 

 when complete the form of a retort. The male and female sit alter- 

 nately upon the eggs, and while so occupied are so devoted to their 

 duty, that they may with the greatest ease be taken in the nest alive. 



