350 EIRDS OF INDIA. 



aureus, Lesson— Sarbo baya, H. — Slwr baya, and Kantawala 

 baya in Bengal. 



The Black-throated Weaver-bird. 



Descr. — The male in breeding plumage has the crown brilliant 

 golden yellow, with, in some instances, a slight inclination to flame 

 color ; back dusky brown ; rump dingy grey brown ; wings and 

 tail dark brown, the former with very slight pale margins to some 

 of the feathers ; the throat white ; the cheeks, ear-coverts, and sides 

 of the neck white, more or less suffused with dusky on the ear- 

 coverts and throat ; a broad, brownish black pectoral band ; the 

 rest of the lower plumage sullied or fulvous white, brownish on 

 the flanks. In some the pectoral band is broad and entire, 

 in others narrower, and divided along the middle. 



The female has the head streakless dusky brown, the feathers 

 of the back edged with pale rufous brown ; a pale yellow super- 

 cilium, and a spot of the same colour behind the ear ; also a 

 narrow moustachial stripe ; throat white, yellowish in some, and 

 visually separated from the yellow moustache by a narrow black 

 line ; pectoral band less developed. Males, after the autumn 

 moult, resemble the females, but the breast and flanks are more 

 rufescent; the pectoral band is frequently wanting, or rather 

 concealed by pale fulvous deciduary edgings. 



Bill always pearly white ; irides light brown ; legs dusky 

 carneous. Length 5i inches ; extent 9^ ; wing 2| -; tail If. 



This very pretty Weaver-bird is more locally distributed than 

 either of the preceding. It is found in various parts of Lower 

 Bengal, extending into Assam, Tipperah, and parts of Burmali. 

 It appears unknown in Central India and the N. W. Provinces. 

 I found it abundant near Purneah, also in Dacca, building in low 

 bushes, in a grassy churr overflown during the rains. The nest was 

 non-pensile, and had either no tubular entrance or a very short 

 one, made of grass, and more slightly interwoven than either 

 of the others. Though a good many pairs were breeding in the 

 neighbourhood, the nests were, in no instance, close to each 

 other, rarely indeed two on the same bush. 



