WE A VER-BIRDS. 363 



greater than that between the former and the culmen ; there is never any distinct 

 notch in the upper mandible. The wings are somewhat rounded, with the first 

 primary quill very short, while the legs and toes are stout and strongly scaled. 

 The family may be divided into two groups or subfamilies, namely, the typical 

 weaver-birds, or Ploceince, in which the first primary of the wing is nearly as 

 long as the metatarsus, and there is a spring moult ; and the whydah birds and 

 their allies, or Viduince, in which the first primary is much shorter than the 

 metatarsus, and the only moult is autumnal. 



The ox-Birds and Commencing with the first or typical subfamily, we have first 

 their Allies, to notice the small African genus of true ox-birds, which have a rather 

 long, conical, and laterally compressed beak, the wings somewhat rounded and 

 reaching a little below the base of the tail, with the second primary quill only 

 a little shorter than the third and fourth, which are the longest ; the tail being of 

 moderate length and somewhat rounded, while the claws are strong and curved. 

 This genus is typically represented by the common ox-bird (Textor alector) of 

 Western Africa, shown in the background of the figure on p. 364. This bird has 

 a nearly uniform shining black plumage, with the bases of the contour feathers 

 white, the beak being horny yellow, with its tips and edges bluish, and the feet 

 blackish grey. 



The red-billed black weaver (T. niger) is found in the Transvaal, Damaraland, 

 and the lake regions; the possession of a red bill easily distinguishing this 

 large finch-like and very noisy bird. It is gregarious in its habits, breeding in 

 colonies, the members of which construct many nests in a single tree. The nests 

 consist externally of an immense mass of dried grass, twigs, and sticks, in which 

 are to be found from four to six separate nests or holes of an oval form, composed 

 of grass only, but united to each other by intricate masses of sticks defying the 

 ingress of any intruder except a small snake. In each of these separate holes are 

 laid three or four eggs exactly resembling sparrows' eggs, but much larger. 

 Curiously enough, the birds roost in these nests which are used year after year, 

 any injury to the structure being at once repaired by all the members of the 

 community. Sir Andrew Smith found this bird frequenting herds of buffaloes, 

 and perching on their backs in search of the parasitical insects which infest their 

 hides. Like other birds of the family, it feeds upon berries, seeds, and insects. 

 The general colour of the adult male is black, with the first half of each wing- 

 feather white ; but the young bird has some whitish patches on the neck 

 and breast. 



White-Headed This weaver (D. leucocephaJa), which represents another genus, 



Weaver. j s a comparatively small species found in the interior of Africa and 

 Abyssinia. Like other members of the family, the present species is absent from 

 dense forests, preferring to dwell upon grass-lands in the more open portions of 

 the country. It is by choice somewhat gregarious, taking up its abode on 

 rough meadow-lands, and seeking out the neighbourhood of cattle. Although a 

 true weaver, it does not construct so neat a nest as most of its allies. The adult 

 male has the head and under-parts white, the back wings and tail chocolate-brown, 

 and the rump and tail-coverts scarlet ; it is depicted in the upper figure of the 

 illustration on the next page. 



