176 



cassell's book of birds. 



itself among the grass. When the period of incubation is over, and the harvests are gathered in, the 

 fields that have afforded them food are deserted, and some time is then passed in flying about the 

 country, after the manner of their congeners. This species of Weaver Bird can scarcely be said to 

 form settlements, each couple building somewhat apart from the rest. The nest is constructed of 

 stalks and blades of grass woven so loosely together that the little brood are often visible through the 

 lattice-work of their cradle, which is either placed upon the ground in a bed of grass, or fastened to 

 the higher stalks. Considerable difference is observable in the size and shape of these nests, some 



THE FIRE FINCH {Enplertes Petiti). 



being long, some round ; few, however, exceed seven or eight inches in length, and five or six in 

 breadth. Our illustration represents the Etipledes Petiti, a very similar species to that just described, 

 except that the whole of the lower part of the bird is black. 



The BUFFALO WEAVER BIRDS (Textor) constitute a group well deserving our notice, and 

 are distinguished by their large size, thick, conical beak, which is unusually thick at its base, long, 

 abruptly-rounded wings, and slightly rounded tail. 



THE RED-BEAKED BUFFALO WEAVER BIRD. 

 The Red-beaked Buffalo Weaver Bird (Textor erythrorhynchus) is the species of this group 

 with which we are most familiar. This bird is from eight and three-quarter to nine and three- 

 quarter inches in length. Its plumage is black, the front feathers of the upper wing-covers and quills 

 being bordered with white ; the beak is pale red, the foot light brown, and the eye dark brown. 



