57



CORRESPONDENCE,



THE MADAGASCAR WEAVER.


Sir,—M r. Cresswell asks for the experiences of other members

concerning the temper of the Madagascar Weaver. May I, without

presuming to lay down any general law, give my experience.


Several years ago I bought a fine specimen and placed him in a large

cage with a numerous collection of Waxbills and small finches. He proved

to be the most amiable of birds, and remained for many months without

causing any unpleasantness to his cage-mates, even allowing liimseif to be

driven away from the seed-vessels by the smallest Waxbills. I afterwards

gave him to a friend, who placed him in a cage with a similar collection of

small finches. Here he proved himself a veritable demon, and had to be

speedily removed to solitary confinement, where he eventually died. Why

he should have behaved so differently in very similar surroundings I do not

know. I have often seen this species kept in cages and aviaries with other

smaller birds, and, as far as my experience goes, it is generally an inoffensive

bird. C. S. Simpson.



Sir,—I have had a Madagascar Weaver in my bird-room for about

eight years. I formerly had two, as well as a Comoro Weaver; the latter

killed one of the Madagascar birds and became so quarrelsome and danger¬

ous in 1897 that I had to remove it. The single male Madagascar Weaver

is still in the same aviary with a mixed collection; it quarrels with Java

Sparrows and Saffron-finches and sometimes chases other Weavers, but

hurts nothing: young or small birds seem to be beneath its notice.


A. G. Butper.



Sir,—R eplying to Mr. Cresswell’s query respecting this active and

showy bird, from my own experience I should not hesitate to put one male

amongst other birds, in even a moderate sized aviary, providing they all

have sufficient roosting accommodation.


So far circumstances have compelled me to keep all my birds in

cages, one of which contains a very mixed lot; which system has the one

advantage that for over two years I have been able to study' their little

ways very closely'. For twelve months I had a very' bold healthy' Madagas¬

car Weaver in an ordinary single breeding-cage, 30 x 16 x 9 inches, along

with two small Napoleons—one of these a very quiet inoffensive bird, and

the other, though very' active, very harmless. Half a cocoauut was

suspended from each back corner ; the two Napoleons always roosted on

the edge of one, and the Foudia 011 the other. Even in this small cage the

Foudia never quarrelled with the others although it resented their presence

on its own cocoanut, driving them off with a fierce little cry. Since then I

have made them a box-cage, 3 feet 6 inches square by 16 inches deep, with

a half cocoauut in one top corner, a Hartz Canary-cage in the other, and

two large forked apple-branches for perches. In this, for ten mouths, the

same Foudia, Napoleons, and a Ribbon-fincli have lived peaceably, though

never a day passes without my hearing the excited shrill cry of the Mada¬

gascar ejecting trespassers from the Hartz-cage, which it has been pleased

to appropriate.



