522 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



by the BiSHOr-BiRDS, the handsomest of which is the red species. Sociable in habits, this 

 bird throughout the year consorts in immense flocks, which in the summer consist chiefly 

 of males. 



Of the more remarkable ncst-buildcrs, the most conspicuous are the Baya SPARROWS, or 

 TODDV-BIRDS, of India and Ce_\'!on, and the SOCIABLE WEAVERS. The former suspend their nests 

 by a solidl_\' wrought rope of fibre from the under side of a branch, the rope expanding into a 

 globular chamber, and then again contracting into a long, narrow, vertical tube, through which 

 the birds make their exit and entrance. The latter— the SOCIABLE WEAVER-BIRD of Africa- 

 builds a still more wonderful structure. As a thing apart it has no existence, a number of 

 birds, varying from lOO to 300, joining their nests together, so as to form a closely interwoven 

 structure, resembling, when finished, a gigantic mushroom. The structure is built among the 

 branches of large trees, so that the tree looks as though it had grown up through a native 

 hut, carrying the roof with it. Cartloads of grass are required to rear this structure, which 

 is nearly solid. Seen from below, it presents a flat surface riddled with holes ; these are the 



entrances to the nests. 



Closely resembling the typical 

 Finches in general appearance, 

 and often gorgeous in coloration, is 

 the group known as the T.\X.\GERS, 

 of which more than 400 distinct 

 species are known to science. Ex- 

 clusively American, the majority 

 of the species are found in Central 

 and South America, though a few 

 move northwards into the United 

 States in summer. The most 

 beautiful are the SCARLET, 

 CRi-MSON-HEADEn, and White- 

 capped Taxagers. The last- 

 named is generally allowed to be 

 the loveliest of the group. The 

 entire plumage of both sexes is a 

 beautiful cornflower-blue, sur- 

 mounted by a cap of silvery-white 

 feathers, a crimson spot on the 

 forehead looking like a drop of 

 blood. The identical coloration of the sexes is worth noting, as among the tanagers generally 

 the female is dull-coloured. 



Among the Finches there is a considerable variety of coloration, though but little in 

 bodily form ; they are all attractive birds, and have the additional advantage that many are 

 British. Distributed over both the northern and temperate regions of the Eastern and 

 Western Hemispheres, they are unknown in Australia. The group, which comprises a very 

 large number of species, may be divided into three sections— GROSBEAKS, TRUE FiNCHES, and 

 Buntings. 



The Grosbeaks, as their name implies, are characterised by the great stoutness of the 

 beak, and some, as the f:vENiN(;-GROSBEAKS of America, are remarkable for their beauty. 



Among the well-known British members are the HAWFINCHES and GREENFINCHES. 

 Common in many parts of iMigland, though rare in Scotland and Ireland, the HAWFINCH contrives 

 to make itself much disliked by the gardener, owing to its fondness for peas, though it 

 fully compensates for the damage done in this direction by the numbers of noxious insects 

 it destroys. The nest is a very beautiful structure; outside it is composed of twigs inter- 

 mixed with lichens, inside of dry grasses lined with fine roots and hair. The site chosen 



eh,,, by IV. f. ^-/fi.,//] [L.vr;,/,.,, Ba^xard 



HAWFINCH 



A rciidr/u in ihe cdUcni and midland counliei of England 



