78 GARDEN AND AVIARY BIKDS. 



which had been brown, now becomes black fading again 

 when the winter plumage is assumed. 



In Bengal and Burma, extending east to Java, is 

 found another Weaver-bird which, except for being 

 usually larger, is almost indistinguishable from the true 

 Baya, that is, the hens and winter-plumaged cocks ; the 

 cock of this Eastern Baya (Ploceus atrigula) never dons 

 such a bright wedding-garment as the typical Indian bird 

 and is thus easily distinguishable at the breeding sea- 

 son. The only yellow he shows is on the crown ; his 

 throat is a smoky grey ; and the rest of his plumage 

 remains very sparrowy, except that some individuals, no 

 doubt with a strain of the more aristocratic Baya blood, 

 show a few yellow feathers on the breast. 



As to their habits, the two birds may be treated 

 together. They are mainly seed-eaters, but probably 

 feed their young on insects. They are always gregarious, 

 even breeding in company, and their nests are the most 

 perfect examples of bird architecture. They are made of 

 grass or palm-fibre, very strongly woven together, and 

 are in shape like a bulb suspended above by a short cord, 

 and ending below in a long tube. The nest is of course 

 begun from above with the cord, and across the lower 

 part of the bulb, inside, runs a partition, which divides 

 the spout from the chamber or pocket in which lie the 

 ^ggs and young. The excellence of the workmanship 

 is most remarkable, but the end of the spout is always 

 left frayed out and untidy, so as to give less foothold to 

 an enemy. The bird itself enters the nest on the wing, 

 shooting up the spout or tube. These nests cannot 



