( 35 ) 

 THE TREE SPARROW 



Is a smaller bird than the last, both sexes having the same 

 plumage. The whole head is chestnut, with a black patch at the 

 sides, cheeks white, chin and throat black This is the common 

 sparrow of Burma and is a regular pest in the way it scatters about 

 its building materials. It is more or less migratory in habits, 

 deserting the neighbourhood of the house for the country in the 

 middle of the rains only returning after the cold weather has set in 

 (November) when they immediately set to work about their family 

 arrangements, and start littering the place with grass, and in general 

 making a nuisance of themselves. 



Burmese name Sa. 

 (No. 779. P. montanus.) 



THE PEGU HOUSE SPARROW 



Is a very handsome little bird, common in Upper Burma, more 

 especially in the dry-zone and is more a jungle bird than the 

 first two, a good many however being found round bungalows. The 

 sexes are different and have the same pattern plumage as the common 

 sparrow, but in handsomer colours, the cock having his under parts 

 bright yellow, the hen in the same way being more highly coloured. 

 Nests in any convenient hole in trees and bungalows, and often 

 making use of old munias' nests. 



(No. 781, P. flaveolus.) 



XV 



THE WEAVER BIRDS AND MUNIAS. 



The Bayas or weaver-birds are chiefly noticeable for the wonderful 

 bottle-shaped nests built by some of the family, and are conspicuous 

 birds on this account during the rains, as they are very partial to 

 palm trees for nesting purposes, and even going so far as to suspend 

 their nests from the eaves of houses and along telegraph wires. 

 At other times of the year they keep to the paddy-fields where they 

 must do a lot of damage to the crops. 



THE EASTERN BAYA OR WEAVER BIRD 



Are brown spa"row-like birds, though during the breeding season 

 the cock is adorned with a bright yellow cap. They are very in- 

 dustrious little birds, commencing nesting operations as soon as the 

 first showers have fallen and continuing well on into August. They 

 seem at this time seized with a frenzy for weaving, for even after 

 t he hen has begun incubation the cock continues to bring materials, 

 and busies himself either lengthening the funnel of the nest or 

 building new ones. In this way many nests are begun and left 



