Thirty-two Years of Aviculture.



273



general rule peaceable and inoffensive, but I had one spiteful indi¬

vidual in 1897 which I was obliged to place with birds as strong as

itself. The Long-tailed or Giant Whydah, although a large and

powerful species, is amiable and long-suffering unless persistently

provoked by smaller birds : I have had only one male example

myself, but Mr. Housden, of Sydenham, had a fair number at one

time.


Of Viduine Weavers I have kept many examples of the

Napoleon Weaver and still have five or six as I write ; two males in

the same aviary are sure to fight in the breeding season, but several

hens can be kept safely with the same cock-bird : like most of the

Weavers they are hardy and long-lived. I have purchased two

Crimson-crowned Weavers from a mixed series in winter plumage,

but both proved to be hens ; I also secured a hen of the Black-

vented Weaver in the same manner. One male of the Grenadier

Weaver, still in excellent health as I write, was sent to me in 1906

by Major Horsbrugh : it is perhaps the most beautiful of the Fire-

Weavers, and my example is in full colour by April each year ; in

the breeding season it is master of the aviary in which it is confined ;

but should any bird pluck up courage and stand up to it, this

impudent Weaver retires at once, evidently considering discretion

the better part of valour. I have had many examples of the lovely

Orange Weaver, which greatly resembles the last-mentioned except¬

ing in its inferior size and orange throat: two males in the same

aviary are liable to dispute during the breeding season, so that it is

better to keep each cock in a separate enclosure with several hens.

Of Red-billed Weavers, the most long-lived of all and the most

indefatigable of nest-builders, I have had many : under different

conditions they vary greatly; one very abnormal male sent to me by

Major Horsbrugh at a later date moulted into quite normal plumage,

to my great disgust; but the albinistic form Russ’ Weaver never

reverts to the normal plumage after acquiring the buff cheeks of

that form.


We now come to the typical or Ploceine Weavers, some of

which are very interesting birds to keep on account of the compact

snail-shaped nests which they build. I obtained one male of the

Rufous-necked Weaver in 1893, and in 1896 and 1899 I purchased



