218 Wonders of the Bird World 



the same tree. Some species, like the Black Weaver-birds 

 {Textor) of Africa, build their nests in common, collecting 

 a great heap of dry sticks and twigs and forming them into 

 a huge mass, in which they make five or six grass-lined 

 nests united together, and if any injury is done to the 

 colony, they all work together to repair the damage, and 

 the common nest is added to year after year. The 

 Sociable Weaver (Philceterus socius) makes, perhaps, the 

 most extraordinary nest of any of the Family, for it lives 

 always in company, and many birds use the great hive-like 

 structure which forms a conspicuous feature in the parts of 

 South Africa where the species is found. When not used 

 for nesting purposes, their common house serves as a 

 roosting-place, and sometimes the nest is said to consist of 

 at least a cart-load of sticks and grass, and to be perfectly 

 weather-proof. In the under side of the mass, with the 

 openings from below, are pierced a number of chambers, 

 lined with feathers, in which the pair of Sociable Weavers 

 rear their young. The late Mr. Andersson says that in 

 Damara Land these Weaver-birds, when breeding, "in- 

 cubate their eggs under the same roof, which is composed 

 by these birds of whole cart-loads of grass piled on a 

 branch of some camel-thorn tree in one enormous mass of 

 an irregular umbrella-shape, looking like a miniature hay- 

 stack, and almost solid, but with the under surface, which 

 is nearly flat, honeycombed all over with little cavities, 

 which serve not only for incubating, but also as a refuge 

 against rain and wind." 



Many of the Weaver-finches (Estreldince), little birds of 

 bright colours, inhabiting Africa, India, and Australia, also 

 build grass-nests, domed or rounded in form, and placed 

 either close to the ground or at a very little distance above 

 the latter. The best known of these little Weaver-finches 

 are the birds popularly called " Bengalis," and they will 

 often breed in confinement, if supplied with suitable 



