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THE RED-BILLED WEAVER BIRD. 



THE RUFOUS-NECKED WEAVER is also an inhabitant of Africa, being found in Senegal, 

 Congo, and other hot portions of that continent. 



By many persons this species is known by the name of the Capmore Weaver, a term which 

 is evidently nothing but a corruption of Buffon's name for the same bird, namely "LeCap- 

 noir," or Blackcap Weaver. It is a brisk and lively bird, and possesses a cheerful though not 

 very melodious song. It has often been brought to Europe, and is able to withstand the effects 

 of confinement with some hardihood, living for several years in a cage. Some of these caged 

 birds carried into captivity the habits of freedom, and as soon as the spring made its welcome 

 appearance, they gathered together every stem of grass or blade of hay, and by interweaving 

 these materials among the wires of their cage, did their utmost to construct a nest. The food 

 of this bird consists mostly of beetles and other hard-shelled insects ; and in order to enable 

 it to crush their defensive armor, which is extremely strong in many of the African beetles, 

 its peak is powerful and its edges somewhat curved. Seeds of various kinds also form part 

 of its diet ; and the undulating edge of the bill is quite as useful in shelling the seeds as in 

 crushing the insects. 



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GOLD and RUFOUS-NECKED WEAVER BIRD.- Hyphan/ornU gaUbula and abyeniuca. 



The general color of this species is orange-yellow, variegated with black upon the upper 

 surface. The head, chin, and part of the throat are black, and a ruddy chestnut band crosses 

 the nape of the neck. Like many other birds, however, it changes the color of its plumage 

 according to the time of year, and after the breeding season is over, its head assumes a tint 

 somewhat like that of the back. It is by no means a large bird, its total length being a little 

 more than six inches. 



ONE of the best known of these curious birds is the RED-BILLED WEAVER BIRD. 



This species is common in Southern Africa, and is notable for its habit of attending the 

 herds of buffaloes in a manner somewhat similar to that of the African beef-eater, which has 

 already been described. It does not, however, peck the deep-seated grubs from the hide, as 

 ita bill is not sufficiently strong for that purpose, but devotes itself to the easier task of 



