1840.] of the Peninsula of India. 25 



Family FRINGILLTD.E, Finches. 



Sub Family COCCOTHRAUSTIN^, Swains.— Hard-Wls. 



Genus EUPLECTES, Swains.— Ploceus, Auct. 



169.— tf. PhiUppensis.—Ploc.Philipensis, Auct— Baya, H.— Weaver 

 Bird. 



The weaver bird is found over all the peninsula, but much more 

 abundantly in some situations than in others, being common in the 

 more wooded districts, and though not rare, far from common in the 

 Carnatic, and the bare table land, as you may often pass over large 

 tracts of country without ever seeing it, while in particular spots you 

 find a tolerably large colony of them. The Baya associates in numer- 

 ous flocks, generally builds in company, and almost always in the close 

 vicinity of water. Its long bottle-shaped nest is well known. It feeds 

 on various grass seeds, and also grain, associating sometimes with the 

 Emberiza melamcephala, and sometimes as Colonel Sykes observes 

 with the house sparrows. The flock keeps up a continual chirping. 

 It breeds, I am told, towards the end of the monsoon, and the young ones 

 are ready to fly about the ripening of the first crops of grain. Length 

 about 6 inches; of wing2 T yhs; tail 2; tarsus T yhs. Irides dark 

 brown; bill black; legs yellowish. 



170.— E. Bengalensis.—Loxia Bengalensis, Auct— Cocc. chrysocep- 

 hala, Vieill.— Le gros bee Orchef, Vieill. Encyl. Meth. p. 1008.— j£. a lbU 

 rostris, Sw.? — Bahmunee Baya, H. 



I have not myself met with this species, but find it recorded in Mr. 

 Elliot's notes, as found occasionally in the Southern Mahratra Country. 

 That gentleman says that, "the male has the yellow crown only in 

 the breeding season. At other times only eyebrow and ear spot are 

 yellow. Their nests, though similar, are smaller than those of the common 

 Baya, and have two chambers. Habits the same as those of the Baya. 

 Length 6 inches." 



Major Franklin, I see, has ranged this bird, as an Emberiza, but says 

 its Indian name is Baya, and Mr. Elliot calls it a Ploceus; so, al- 

 though I have not seen if, I range it unhesitatingly as an Euplectes of 

 Swainson. 



