644 PLOCEUS PHILIPPIC US. 



of fine strips of date-palm leaves, another of cocoanut fronds similarly treated, and others of strips of bamboo 

 when they were suspended from that tree overhanging water. Again, blades of green paddy are as often used 

 as any thing else, for the borders of the fields are frequently chosen for the breeding settlement. In the southern 

 province I think the date-palm leaf is as frequently chosen as any thing else, as it abounds in that district and 

 forms a very durable material. 



I have seen a structure containing two completely formed nests connected by a tube of about 18 inches 

 in length, the whole measuring nearly 6 feet. 



On referring to my account of the nesting of' this species in Ceylon, communicated to the Royal 

 Society of Tasmania, I find the details which I here subjoin : — " The strips of which these wonderful 

 structures are composed are about r» inch broad, and are torn off the palm-frond in the most dexterous 

 manner by the hard-working little ' Weavers.' The bird alights near the base, and with a bite and twist of 

 its bill quickly detaches the end of the desired piece, launches itself out into the air, and after a momentary 

 flutter succeeds in tearing it oft', and wings its way back to the nest. The neck, or part which connects 

 the egg-compartment with the branch or leaf (as the case may be), varies from G inches to more than a 

 foot in length, and is, in general, about 1 inch in diameter ; at the bottom it suddenly expands into the 

 peculiar flattened ' goblet ' or retort-shaped mass which contains the nest itself and the origin of the 

 entrance to it. It is during the formation of this part that the extraordinary ingenuity and highly- 

 developed constructive powers of the male bird in particular are exemplified. Carrying a long strip of 

 material in its bill, it alights on the nest, and quickly weaves in one end; then taking a little hop forwards, 

 it stretches itself out to the utmost, aud, seizing the blade as far out as it can, runs its bill along it till it 

 catches the end, which it underlaces in like manner, the whole operation occupying a few seconds only. 

 It then frequently hops to another part, and clinging on with its claws, reaches itself out and carefully 

 inspects its work, tucking in any projecting ends that it may observe. The body of the nest takes from 

 four to five days to construct ; and when the widest part has been reached, a strong loop is thrown across 

 the bottom a little at one side of the centre, giving the nest, as Jerdon remarks ('Birds of India'), the 

 appearance, when taken from the tree and inverted, of a basket with a handle. It is curious how many people 

 have erred in noting the use of this loop, some being of opinion that it is meant for the male bird to sit upon 

 m what has been equally erroneously described as the male nest ! It is the keystone to the whole structure, 

 and, of course, exists in all nests, the construction of it being the principle on which the egg-compartment is 

 separated from the entrance or ' spout,' and if examined will be found attached to the interior walls by strong 

 buttresses running up for a couple of inches. On one side of this loop, therefore, the egg-receptacle is formed 

 by bringing down the exterior of the nest and then working it up to the loop again, while the opposite side is 

 built down into the form of a tube or spout, the loop then constituting merely the edge, over which the bird 



has to mount to enter the egg-chamber This ' spout,' or tubular entrance, varies in length according 



as the passion for building, if I may so describe its instinct, exists to a greater or less degree in the male bird, 

 as it is nearly always continued by him after the female bird has commenced to lay, and in some cases after 

 she has commenced to sit. It is generally about 18 inches or 2 feet long, but occasionally only about 6, and 

 rarely attains the great length above mentioned." During the time the egg-compartment is being built, the 

 pieces of clay arc attached, about which there are so many different theories. Layard suggests that it might 

 be for sharpening the bird's bill on ; the natives of India have an idea (Jerdon, loc. cit.) that they are intended 

 to stick flies on in order to light up the compartment at night ! Jerdon himself was of opinion that they are 

 used for the purpose of steadying the nest, and preventing its being knocked about by the wind. From my 

 own observation I find that these lumps of clay are but seldom used in Ceylon, perhaps because they do not 

 build during the windiest months in the year ; and I have noticed that in a whole colony of nests built in a 

 sheltered hill-side no clay was used. It is probable, therefore, that Jerdon's theory is the correct one. During 

 t iinc the Weaver-birds are building, the whole flock keep up an incessant chirping, varied now and then 

 by the long grating whistle uttered by the male as he clings to the nest he is making. Many nests are 

 ited when the body is being constructed, both before and after the loop has been formed; and this is, 

 according to some writers, to furnish the male with a roosting-place. This is, I think, an erroneous idea : the 

 proportion of such nests is sometimes only three or four to a large colony ; and it seems to me probable that 

 they are rejected by the birds ou account of some fault in their construction — the egg-chamber too small, the 



