PASSERINE BIRDS. 179 



the breeding season in pairs apart from the rest, or else not unfrequently in a state of polygamy 

 and only congregate in large flocks and fly about the country after the period of incubation and the 

 moulting season are over. As may be easily imagined, the movements of these beautiful birds are 

 greatly influenced by their change of plumage ; the long tail necessitating a slow and stately motion, 

 especially when upon the wing, and often causing its possessor to be driven hither and thither at die 

 pleasure of the wind ; when perched, the sweeping tail hangs straight down, but is borne aloft when on 

 the ground ; no sooner, however, has the moulting season gone by than the Widow Bird appears to be 

 quite another being, hopping and flying over the country with the same activity that characterises die 

 Finches. Most species of this group seek their food principally upon the ground, generally subsisting 

 upon grass-seeds and various kinds of insects : they pass a considerable portion of the breeding 

 season among the branches, as affording the most convenient situation for the bestowal of their 

 streaming tails, whilst some are found almost exclusively inhabiting the reedy parts of the country, 

 where they also carry on the work of incubation. The breeding season is in the spring time of die 

 African continent. In Soudan the eggs are laid about the month of August, and in Abyssinia some 

 months earlier. The nest closely resembles those of the Weavers. The Widow Bird is rarely brought 

 alive to Europe, and though of a pleasing disposition, and well qualified to live in a cage, is almost 

 entirely destitute of song. The first members of this group to which we shall call attention have been 

 named 



The MOURNING WIDOWS (Coliuspasser). In these birds the beak is long, compressed at its 

 sides, slightly bent towards the tip, and appears to rise at a right angle from the forehead ; the wings 

 are of moderate length, the first quill much shorter than the four succeeding ones ; the feathers of die 

 tail are considerably broader at their extremities than at the base, the middle ones being the longest. 

 The plumage is black, with red or yellow upon the head, breast, nape, and shoulders. 



THE YELLOW-SHOULDERED MOURNING WIDOW. 



The Yellow-shouldered Mourning Widow [Coliuspasser flaviscapulatus), an inhabitant of 

 Abyssinia, is a bird about eight inches in length, of which the tail measures four and a half inches ; the 

 wing does not exceed three and one-third inches. The coat of the male is deep black, the shoulders 

 yellow, and the wings and tail edged with yellowish white. The plumage of the female is principally 

 of a brownish yellow, lightest on the throat and darkest upon the head, which, owing to the deep 

 colour of the feathered shafts, has a slight appearance of being striped. The wings and tail are daik 

 brown, and the shoulders greenish yellow. The breeding season commences about August ; die nests 

 are somewhat deep, built of large dry straws, and entered through a long tubular passage or small 

 opening, protected by a kind of roof. The male is provided with a second nest, placed near to that 

 containing his family, and furnished with two entrances. The eggs have a reddish-white shell, marked 

 with rose-coloured spots and streaks, lying most thickly together at the broad end, and so minute as 

 almost to escape notice. 



THE LONG-TAILED WIDOW BIRD. 



The Long-tailed Widow Bird {Chera cqffra), the largest of all the South African species, is 

 remarkable for the peculiar construction of its tail, formed of sixteen imbricated feathers of great but 

 unequal length. The plumage is of a velvety black, scarlet upon the shoulders, the latter colour being 

 divided from the wing by a pure white line ; the wings are black, the feathers being bordered with 

 light yellow ; the beak and feet are of a pale brownish yellow. In the coat of the female all the 

 feathers are bordered with a yellow margin, only the middle being black ; the lower portion of the 

 body is greyish yellow ; the throat, eyebrows, and under tail-covers are white. The length of this 



