Wea vf.r-Dirds. 407 



CRIMSON-CROWNED WEAVER-BIRD [Euplectes flammiceps), West Africa. 



riocnis flamvikeps (Russ), Etipkctes flaviceps, Ettplecles pyrrhozona, Hyphantontis flaiiunkeps, Pyromelana faimmiceps. 



English dealers' name — Red Orange Bishop. German name — " Flammen Webervogel." 



A very rare species of Bishop is the Crimson-crowned Weaver-bird, and when a few 

 specimens arrive now and then they are probably mistaken for Orange Bishops. The 

 difference is, however, considerable to the close observer. All Bishops vary considerably in 

 the shades of their bright colours, but the Crimson-crowned Weaver-bird has a distinct 

 crimson tint without a trace of orange, and besides, the tint of the upper part of the head is 

 not black like the Orange Weavers, but crimson. With these exceptions, this bird resembles 

 the Orange Weaver-bird so much as to be easily mistaken. I once bought a few specimens 

 under the name of Brazilian Bishops, and I need not add that this description was totally 

 wrong, though it showed the keen perception of the seller, who had discovered that the 

 birds were not quite like the Orange Bishops, although the orange tints of these latter vary 

 a good deal between crimson and yellow. I fancy this Weaver-bird is rather more delicate 

 than the other Bishops ; at all events, mine proved less enduring, although I had received 

 them in splendid condition. 



NAPOLEON OR BLACK-BELLIED WEAVER-BIRD {Eupledes afer). West Africa. (Illustrated.) 

 Ploceus melanogaster (Russ), Loxia melanogastra, Loxia Abyssina, Fi-ingilla ranuncuhicea, Eiiplules raiiuiiculaceus, Euplectcs 

 melanogaster, Ploceus Abyssinicus et afer, Eupledes Abyssinicus, Paha Abyssinica. English dealers' name — Napoleon 

 Weaver-bird, or Napoleon Bishop. German name — " Napoleonsweber." French name— " Le Worabee." 



Why this Weaver, whose colours are those of the Austrian Monarchy — intensely bright 

 yellow and brilliant black — has been called Napoleon Weaver, ,is difficult to explain. Dr. 

 Russ hazards the opinion that the bird, being one of the most brilliant Weavers imported, 

 and happening to arrive for the first time in large numbers when Napoleon III. was in 

 the zenith of his power, enterprising dealers popularised this Weaver-bird by giving it what 

 was then a popular name. Be that as it may, the name of Napoleon Weaver is preferable 

 to that of Black-bellied Weaver-bird. 



Like all the Bishops, the Napoleon, too, reaches Europe from the West Coast of Africa, 

 but is believed to be indigenous to the greater part of the African Continent, with the 

 exception of the extreme south. 



His habits and manners in the cage, and his food, are identical with those of the 

 other Bishops, the same restless activity characterising all. He will take possession of a 

 suitable branch of a shrub in the aviary, and selecting a couple of twigs he will weave 

 and interlace pieces of fibre until a stout, upright ring rests on the twigs. Sitting in this 

 ring, the male bird will gradually fix in it the ends of fibres, each one forming a semi- 

 circle, and in this way a globular nest is formed, an entrance-hole being left low down in 

 the side of the structure. Many nests will be begun and abandoned when half finished, and 

 the male bird's excited and unsteady activity is the chief difficulty in the way of obtaining 

 nests fit to breed in. 



RED-HEADED OR MADAGASCAR WEAVER-BIRD [Foiidia Madagascariensis), Isle of France. (Illustrated.) 



Ploceus Madagascariensis (Russ), Loxia Madagascariensis, Cardinalis Madagascar, Ploceus Madagascar, Euplectes ruber, Caly- 



phanteia Madagascar. English dealers' name — Madagascar Weaver-bird. German name — "Madagascar Webervogel." 

 French name — " Le Foudi." 



The Red-headed Weaver-bird is best known as Madagascar Weaver, the former name having 

 the disadvantage of been easily confounded with that of the Red-'"aced Weaver-bird. As the name 



