Whydah-Like Weavers. 



69 



HEADS OF MALE AND FEMALE RED-BILLED WEAVERS. 



streak below eye ; under parts buff, ashy on chest ; chin, throat, 

 and centre of abdomen pure white. The male in winter more nearly 

 approaches the female, but always shows a little wash of pink on the 

 under parts, and the crimson beak would always distinguish it. 

 Sometimes it retains its summer colouring. The form known as 

 Russ' Weaver is not a distinct race, but simply an albinism, which 

 often appears in old age, or in delicate young birds. 



Chapter XIII. 



TYPICAL WEAVERS (Ploceince). 



These birds build nests resembling either retorts or snail-shells, 

 the entrance beinj* from below. These nests are either suspended 

 between reeds or from the end twigs of branches in trees ; they are 

 more densely woven than those of the Viduine Weavers. 



The genera Spermospiza and Amblyospiza have been represented 

 at our Zoological Gardens, but are rarely imported, and therefore 

 need not be considered here. Textor albirostris, which is said not 

 to differ in the sexes, belongs to the same category. I shall there- 

 fore confine myself to the imported species of Sitagra, Hyphantornis, 

 Plocetis, and Foudia. 



Yellowish Weaver (Sitagra luteola). 



The female "differs in having no black on the plumage; upper 

 parts mostly ashy brown, washed with yellow on the forehead, crown, 



