CHAPTER XX. 



TllE WEAVER FAMILY. 



(Ploceida:}. 



The Napoleon Weaver The Yellow-shouldered 

 Weaver The Crimson-crowned Weaver The 

 Oryx Weaver The Red-headed or Madagascar 

 Weaver The Orange Weaver, or Orange Bishop 

 The Red-headed Weaver The Black-faced 

 Weaver, or Red-beaked Weaver The Paradise 

 WhydahThe Pin-tailed Why dak The Yellow- 

 backed Why d ah The Combassou, 



HIS very curious group of birds is con- 

 fined to the great African Continent, and 

 numbers in its ranks many beautiful and 

 desirable species. They are chiefly cha- 

 racterised by their habit of weaving nests of 'such 

 surpassing strength and beauty of construction as to 

 be unequalled by any other members of the class 

 Aves in this respect ; another of their peculiarities 

 being that the males, just before the season of pairing, 

 or rather at its commencement, make what are called 

 " toy nests ;" that is to say, artistic constructions of no 

 apparent use, seeing that they are not even occupied 



