PENSILE BIRDS. 219 



CHAPTER XI. 



PENSILE BIRDS. 



Weaver Birds and their general Habits. — Red-billed Weaver Bird. — Its bo- 

 vine Friends.— Its Use to the Buffalo.— Other parasitic Birds. — The Spotted- 

 backed Weaver Bird. — Its Nest and variable Method of Construction. — The 

 Mahali Weaver Bird. — Shape of the Nest. — Singular Defense. — Theories re- 

 specting the Structure.— Habits of the Bird. — Remarkable Nests of Weavers. — 

 Account of Weavers engaged in Nest-building. — Very curious Contrivance. — 

 The Gold-capped Weaver. — Structure and Situation of the Nest. — The Taiia 

 Weaver Bird. — Locality selected for its Nest. — Destructiveness to Crops. — The 

 Palm Swift.— Its general Habits. — The Nest and its variable Structure. — Silk- 

 cotton. — The Tailor Bird. — Antiquity of Handicrafts. — Structure of the Nest. 

 —The Fan-tailed Warbler. — Singular Method of fixing its Nest. — The Pen- 

 duline Titmouse. — Its Habits and Food. — Remarkable Nest and its Form. 



x\.lthough the majority of nest-making birds may be called 

 Weavers, there is one family to which the name is par excellence 

 and with justice applied. These are the remarkable birds which 

 are grouped together under the name of Ploceidas, all being in- 

 habitants of the hot portions of the Old "World, such as Asia and 

 Africa. The last-mentioned continent is peculiarly rich in Weav- 

 er birds, as may be seen from a glance at the plate which accom- 

 panies this description, on which are shown a number of species, 

 together with their nests. 



For the most part, the Weaver Birds suspend their nests to the 

 ends of twigs, small branches, drooping parasites, palm-leaves, or 

 reeds, and many species always hang their nests over water, and 

 at no very great height above its surface. The object of this cu- 

 rious locality is evidently that the eggs and ) r oung should be 

 saved from the innumerable monkeys that swarm in the forests, 

 and whose filching paws would rob many a poor bird of its young- 

 brood. As, however, the branches are very slender, the weight 

 of the monkey, however small the animal may be, is more than 

 sufficient to immerse the would-be thief in the water, and so to 

 put a stop to his marauding propensities. It is well known that 

 the monkey race are very fond of a little bird, mouse, or egg, and 

 that they have such a predilection for blood, that they will snatch 

 the feathers out of parrots' tails, in order to suck the raw and 

 bleeding quills. 



