174 CASSELL'S BOOK OF BIRDS. 



whom it never ceases to torment in every conceivable manner ; one very favourite method being 

 to seize its companion by the tail, and hold it thus suspended in the air for several seconds, the 

 tormentor meanwhile uttering cries expressive of its own enjoyment of this, for a bird, very original 

 pastime. It will sometimes only relinquish its hold when the victim has successfully counterfeited 

 death from this cruel treatment. If not quite in the humour for such active amusement, the Crimson 

 Beak contents itself with pulling out the feathers of its playmates, who never seem to dream of 

 opposing force to force, and quietly submit to all its persecutions. When confined with others of 

 its own species, it is but little more conciliatory in its manners, squabbles and fighting appear- 

 ing to form the principal diversion of the males, and even the females are not always exempted 

 from the disagreeable results occasioned by the decidedly eccentric tempers of their mates. Their 

 nests are suspended from the topmost branches of trees, and are constructed of various dry materials 

 woven together while rendered flexible by the moisture sprinkled over them by the birds, who use 

 their claws when fastening down the various parts, the beak at the same time doing its full share in 

 carefully smoothing and arranging the fibres into a proper state of neatness and order. The little 

 couple work together, apparently quarrelling the whole time ; the male usually appropriates to him- 

 self the business of constructing the exterior, while the female is busy within, and the flexible stems 

 employed being passed from one to the other. The nest when completed is round in shape, the front, 

 where the entrance is situated, being somewhat straighter than the rest ; the whole fabric resembles 

 a nicely padded willow basket. The birds work for not more than three or four hours at a time, but 

 so industriously that only about eight days are occupied in building their wonderfully beautiful home. 



The TAHA may be selected as an example of a group of Weaver Birds distinguished by their 

 black plumage. These birds have a few Abyssinian congeners also called Taha ; in all of them 

 the body is compact, the wings and tail small, and the beak short, strong, and conical ; the upper 

 mandible being slightly arched. The wings reach to the middle of the very short tail ; the first quiil 

 is almost rudimentary, the third longest of all ; the tail-feathers are of nearly equal length. 



THE TAHA. 



The Taha {Taha dubid) is of a beautiful bright yellow upon its head, back, shoulders, upper 

 and lower tail-covers, and hinder part of the body. The wings and tail are a blackish brown, and all 

 the feathers bordered with the same tint ; the rest of the plumage is black j the female and young 

 male during the winter months are blackish brown above and light grey beneath, some of the feathers 

 having deep grey shafts, while others are edged with reddish brown. The length of this elegant little 

 bird is about four inches, of which only one belongs to the very short tail. This species is a native 

 of Southern Africa, and is seldom found farther north than the centre of that continent. During the 

 breeding season it seeks refuge in the fields of corn or reeds, to the stems of which it hangs its purse- 

 shaped nest. In its habits it resembles the Fire Finches, which we are about to describe. 



The FIRE FINCHES (Eiipkctcs) constitute one of the most brilliant of all the many beautiful 

 groups of Weaver Birds. Few sights that meet the eye of the traveller in the regions watered by the 

 Nile are at once so striking and so splendid as that presented by a flock of these glowing creatures, as 

 they dart in masses over the green fields of durrah, looking, when the sun sheds his rays upon them, 

 like a multitude of aerial flames, appearing and disappearing almost with the rapidity of lightning, 

 as they rise into the air or take refuge among the corn. The little creatures seem quite conscious of 

 the admiration excited by their beauty, for they open and close their wings, turn themselves in every 

 direction, and pour forth their pleasant song, as if fully appreciating the attention of a stranger. 



