121 



CHAPTER XL 



PENSILE BIRDS. 



Weaver Birds and their general habits — The Mahali Weaver Bird- 

 Shape of the nest — Singular defence — Remarkable nests of Weavers — Very 

 curious contrivance — The Gold-capped Weaver — Structure and situation 

 of the nest— The Tailor BiRD—Structure of the nest— The Fan-tailed 

 Warbler- Singular method of fixing its nest. 



Although 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 Ploceidse, all being 

 inhabitants of the hot portions of the old world, such as Asia 

 and Africa. 



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 curious locality is evidently that the eggs and young 

 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 pro- 

 pensities. 



Snakes, too, also inveterate nest-robbers, some of them living 

 almost exclusively on young birds and eggs, are eftectually de- 

 barred from entering the nests, so that the parent birds need 

 not trouble themselves about either foe. Although they may 

 repose in perfect safety, undismayed by the approach of either 

 snake or monkey, tliey never can see one of their enemies 



