THE WORLD'S BIRDS. 125 



Our occasional visitor, the Waxwing, which is one 

 of the few Passerine birds common to both hemi- 

 spheres, is a sub-Arctic bird of very wandering habits 

 and irregular habitat ; but the Cedar-Bird, which is 

 smaller and has yellowish-white instead of chestnut 

 under the tail, is a regular inhabitant of the United 

 States and a well-known bird. These Waxwings have 

 long wings and a steady level flight. 



Weavers (Ploceince), with which the Waxbills, 

 Whydahs, and Nuns or Mannikins are classed, are the 

 characteristic Finches of the warm parts of the Old 

 World. They are usually shorter in wing and stouter 

 in bill and feet than the true Finches. Moreover, the 

 bill tends to run up on to the forehead in a peak, and 

 the nostrils are sometimes exposed. The nest is usually 

 covered, and often pendent. But for all this, the 

 Ploceida are usually spoken of as Finches, and should 

 not properly be separated. In habits they are much 

 more social than true Finches, and the males in many 

 cases have a very marked change of plumage after the 

 breeding season, exchanging their gay red or yellow 

 dress, varied with black, for the streaky-brown or 

 olive-green plumage of the female. The typical 

 weaving forms are mostly African, though a few, in- 

 cluding the well-known Baya (Ploceus baya) of India, 

 are inhabitants of Southern Asia. They build very 

 wonderful pendent nests of woven grass or fibre, 

 with the entrance at one side below, often pro- 

 longed into a spout. The Baya is a sparrow-like bird, 

 the breeding male having a brilliant yellow cap and 

 breast. 



Another brilliant Weaver is the Madagascar species 

 (Foudia madagascariensis) , the breeding male being 

 bright scarlet for the most part. This is often imported 

 to Europe, but the commonest cage-bird among typical 

 Weavers is the small Red-billed African species (Quelea 

 quelea) ; in this the female has a yellow bill, and the 



