88 PLOC^ID^E PYTELIA 



blotches and scrawls of brown and rufous. The eggs measure 

 about 0-65x0-48. 



-Subfamily II. ESTBILDIN^E. 



In the Estrildina the first primary is minute, attenuated towards 

 the end and falcate ; the mantle is never striped at any stage ; 

 none of the inner wing- feathers are lanceolate ; nor are the tail- 

 feathers obtusely pointed ; the hind claw is rather short and 

 curved. The sexes do not differ much in plumage, nor do the 

 males assume a breeding-plumage differing markedly from that of 

 winter. They are mostly of small and many of minute size. 



The sub-family Estrildina includes a number of small finch- 

 like Weavers popularly known as Waxbills, Roodebecs, Ruddy Wax- 

 bills and Grassfinches. In winter they are usually found in flocks, 

 feeding on the ground on grass and other small seeds. In summer 

 they pair off and build small domed nests in grass or bushes. The 

 remarkable Social Weaver Bird, which builds and inhabits a col- 

 lective nest all the year round, is an exception. The common 

 Waxbill also sometimes builds a nest which is inhabited during 

 the breeding-season by several females or pairs of birds. At the 

 same time none of the Estrildincs appear to be polygamous in their 

 habits, like many of the Viduina. With the exception of the Social 

 Weaver, Philetarus socius, all the South African Estrildina lay 

 pure white unspotted eggs. They subsist chiefly on small seeds, 

 especially of grass, but feed their young on grubs and insects, and 

 in summer add insects to their own diet. In confinement, in 

 addition to small seeds, they are found to eat insects, spiders, 

 small caterpillars and ant-cocoons. The Estrildince range over 

 Africa, India and Australia. More than ninety species occur in 

 Africa, and twenty of these range to the south of the Zambesi. 



Key to the Genera. 



a. Bill rather variable; comparatively weak and 



slender ; the culmen straight or not much curved. 



Colour of bill in adults more or less red. 



a 1 . Tail graduated ; breast yellow, barred with black 



and white and spotted with white ; wing-quills 



edged with olive-yellow Pytelia, p. 89. 



6 1 . Tail rounded, the tail-feathers with broad ends 

 and always tinged with red ; breast and sides 

 usually red, with small round white spots ; 

 wing-quills plain brown ; bill not entirely red... Lagonosticta, p. 91. 



