112 



BIRD ARCHITECTS 



It is fond of sucking the pollen from flowers, and the 

 feathers of the forehead are often caked with the saccharine 

 juices. 



Fig. 60. — Cape Weaver-Bird at nest. 



The Forest Weaver {S. gregalis) is rusty-black above and 

 golden-yellow below. 



Its habitat is from Algoa Bay in the Eastern Province of 

 the Cape to Zululand. 



This bird is not gregarious as its name would indicate, 

 being found in pairs in the thickly wooded kloofs, where it 

 suspends its necked and retort-shaped nest, woven of fine 

 tendrils of creeping plants, high up over a pool or rill of 

 water. Although coarsely constructed, the nest is com- 

 pactly woven and can be crushed together like a Panama 

 hat without materially damaging it. Fresh eggs may be 



