ESTRELDIN^E. 351 



The figure in PI. Enl. 393, f. 2, usually quoted for this species, 

 appears to me more applicable to manyar, but, in either case, is 

 barely recognisable. 



The only other eastern species of Ploceus is P. philippi?ius, 

 (hypoxanihus, Daudin) vide p. 348, recorded from Java, and various 

 parts of Malayana, perhaps extending to the Philippines. I found 

 this very pretty Weaver-bird at Thayet-myo in Upper Burmah, 

 rare ; in Kangoon, where observed also by Mr. Blyth ; and frequent 

 in swampy ground near the mouth of Rangoon river, where I 

 also found its nest, solitary, in a thick thorny bush, very similar to 

 that of P. bengalensis. 



Africa is the head quarters of this tribe, and there are many 

 species very similar to our Indian birds ; others are clad in black 

 and red, or flame color. Most of them build pensile nests of grass, 

 but the eggs are described as being bluish-white, or greenish-blue, 

 in some instances speckled. They are referred to several genera. 

 One remarkable species, Philceterus socius, builds in society, con- 

 structing; a common roof or shed, beneath which their nests are 

 placed contiguously. The Whidah birds, Viduia, during the 

 breeding season, develop tails of extraordinary length and form, 

 and, in one instance, a ruff. It is supposed by some that these 

 birds are polygamous. 



Sub-fam. Estreldiisle. 



Of small size ; bills large in many and bulged, more slender 

 in others ; wings short, rounded ; feet large ; tail rounded or 

 cuneiform. 



The Munias or Amadavads closely resemble the Weaver- 

 birds in many particulars, and perhaps, with these, should 

 form one group. They inhabit Africa, India, Malayana, and 

 Australia, in which country they are the sole representatives of the 

 Fringillidce. The first primary is minute, as in Ploceina, and, like 

 them, they are often social, even during the breeding season, but 

 they do not construct such elaborate nests. The eggs of all known 

 are pure white, as in our Indian Weavers ; many are very pleasingly 

 colored, and some of them are very beautiful. In general they 

 do not sing, but one of the Indian species has a rather pleasing song # 



