THE ZooL_oGist—APnrIL, 1875. 4397 
the male in summer is bright and showy, being of a yellow colour, 
speckled with black; but the winter plumage is much duller, 
and hardly to be distinguished from that of the female, which is 
nearly brown. 
Another species that generally congregates with the above is the 
yellow weaver-bird: it is of a light yellowish green colour, slightly 
darker on the wings. Its habits are nearly the same as those of 
the speckled weaver-bird, but the nest is differently formed, being 
oblong, and has a stem or tunnel at the bottom through which the 
bird enters. They are not so social as the common weaver, and 
single nests are often found. 
The scarlet weaver (Ploceus Oryze) is a beautiful little bird, 
bright scarlet above, including the throat and vent, and velvetty 
black below. It is found only in the up-country districts, where it 
assembles in small flocks, suspending its nest, which is made of grass 
of a very fine texture, from the flags along the river. They lay from 
three to five light blue eggs. 
The yellow-bellied grosbeak or solitary weaver-bird (Sycobius 
bicolor) is very different in its habits from the other weavers. It 
always remains in pairs, and builds its nest in the thickest part of 
the woods: this is large and roughly put together, but like in shape 
to that of the yellow weaver-bird: it looks very pretty, hanging 
from one of the topmost boughs of a high tree. The eggs are 
white, speckled with red. It is a cheerful bird, and quite enlivens 
the bush with its peculiar song, which sounds not unlike the 
creaking of a rusty hinge, from which we sometimes call it the 
“hinge-bird.” Its colour is black above and yellow on the breast 
and belly, and it lives largely on wild berries. 
The redbilled weaver-bird (Textor erythrorhynchus) is pretty 
common in our neighbourhood, but as yet we have not been able 
to find out where it breeds. In the wilder parts of Africa it is said 
to be the constant companion and friend of the buffalo; perched 
on his back it relieves him of many annoying insects, and 
warns him of the approach of danger by shrill alarm-cries. In 
this more civilized land it performs these good services for the 
domestic ox, who in the warm season is dreadfully pestered with 
ticks and flies. The cattle seem to know the value of these birds, 
and make no attempt to scare them off. The colour of this species 
is black, with white on the wings; the bill is bright orange: it 
is about the size of a thrush. 
SECOND SERIES—VOL. X. s 
