138 THE AMADAVATS AND THE MUNI AS. 



the tiniest of cage-birds, and have red beaks : whence 

 they are sometimes called Waxbills. The Munias are 

 twice as large, though still very small, and have 

 black, or slaty, bills. But they are all one brother- 

 hood, and will live together in amity, though you 

 pack them so thick that some have to find a perch on 

 the backs of others. So you will find them packed in 

 the cages at the Crawford Market. But they are 

 not unhappy, like most of the birds there, for their 

 wants are small. Give them dry seed and clean water 

 and they will look on the bright side of things. It is 

 to this happy disposition that they owe their popularity 

 as pets, for they have no accomplishments and are as 

 silly and uninteresting as birds can be. The common 

 Amadavat has, indeed, a little piping song, which is 

 sweet, though feeble, and the Brown Munia some- 

 times warbles a love-sick ditty to its mate, hopping 

 absurdly with its legs straddled out, but you must put 

 your hand to your ear to catch the sound. And the 

 rest confine themselves to a note of one syllable, 

 which they repeat about thirty-five times in a minute 

 when they are in good spirits. But it is a pleasant 

 note, and I think a cage-full of Amadavats and 

 Munias in the verandah always adds to the cheerfulness 

 of the house. The common Amadavat (Estrelda 

 amandavd) is found in most parts of India, but I 

 doubt its right to be called a native of Bombay. 

 There are always some in the island, and I have seen 

 a pair making a nest at Tardeo, but I suspect they 

 are all escaped prisoners. The male Amadavat has 

 two suits in the year. In summer it is a sparkling 

 gem, splashed all over the face, breast, and back with 

 crimson, which, however, keeps its brilliance only in 



