THE PALM SWIFT. 207 



branches, and retire to the reeds that fringe the river sides, and 

 upon these reeds they build their pensile nest. The plumage of 

 the Taha Weaver varies greatly according to the season of the 

 year, the yellow of the summer coat being freely interspersed 

 with l)rown dashes in the winter. Even the beak is said to 

 change its colour, and to be lighter in the summer than in the 

 winter. 



As in the illustration of African Weaver Birds so many nests 

 and their architects are introduced, I will give a brief summary 

 of its contents. 



In the right-hand upper corner are seen the curious nests of 

 the Mahali Weaver, accompanied by the birds themselves. Just 

 below the Mahali are several rows of nests pendent from boughs. 

 These are the homes of the Spotted Weaver, and are represented 

 as attacked by monkeys, which are being ducked for their 

 pains, and wUl not succeed in reaching the nests. The monkey 

 is the vervet, Cercopithectts pygerythrvs, commonly called the 

 green monkey, and is of the species that so frequently accom- 

 pany organ-grinders in this country. Assailing and bickering 

 at the monkeys are several other species of Weavers. Some oi 

 the Spotted Weavers are defending their homes, and are aided 

 by three other species, Ploceus subaureus, known by its lighter 

 hue ; Hyphantornis textor, distinguished by its dark bill ; and 

 Textor eryfhrorhynchiis, known by its light biU. 



Eather in the background, and in the centre, are some nests of 

 Ploceus Capensis, woven with a palm-leaf. In the left-hand 

 lower corner is the long, retort-shaped nest of the pretty Yellow 

 Weaver ; in the corresponding right comer is the Taha Weaver ; 

 and hanging over the water at the bottom of the illustration is 

 the habitation of the Yellow-capped Weaver. 



In Jamaica there is a bird, which would not allow any illus- 

 tration of its size and beauty, but is nevertheless a most interest- 

 ing species. This is the Palm Swift (Tachomis phcenicolia), 

 easily known by the broad white belt on its black body, some- 

 thing like the white band on the common house martin. 



As is implied by its generic name, the Palm Swift is celebrated 

 for its very great speed, which it exhibits by its darting flight 

 over the grass savannahs. As, moreover, it resides in Jamaica 



