WEAVER-BIRDS. 
399 
of the Bird World which possesses very remarkable architectuial skill. 
He belongs to the PloceinjB, a sub-family of the finches, and is popularly 
spoken of as the Philippine weaver-bird. Like other species of the 
family, he builds a curious and interesting pendent nest, composed of 
grasses so neatly arid compactly interwoven as to remind the spectator 
of the products of the loom. In order to protect it from the attacks of 
snakes and monkeys, he suspends this ingenious construction from the 
branch of a tree by a long cord — choosing a tree that overhangs the 
water. The nest is divided into two compartments — one for the male, 
and another for the female ; and an opening is left at the bottom by 
which the birds obtain access to their respective chambers. It is 
asserted by the natives that the male plasters a bit of soft clay on the 
walls of his apartment, to which he attaches a fire-fly, and thus provides 
himself with a night-light ! This statement, however, to the best of 
our knowledge, has not been confirmed by any European observer. ^ 
THE BAYA. 
More is known of the ways of an allied species, the Indian baya, 
which ranges over the whole of Hindostan, and is found in Assam, 
Burmah, and the Malayan peninsula. Mr. Jerdan describes the bird 
as very common in the wooded plains, but seldom if ever found among 
the mountains or higher table-lands. In some localities he appears to 
be a bird of passage, and in others a sedentary bird. His food is seeds 
of every kind, but he .shows a strong liking for rice. When at rest, he 
keeps up, with his companions, an incessant chatter. 
At the approach of the breeding-season he builds a long horn- 
shaped nest, which he suspends almost always to the branch of a 
palm-tree ; and evidently he selects, when possible, a palm with wide 
and numerous branches, and overhanging the water. 
It is stated that in Burmah the baya frequently suspends his nest 
to the eaves of the houses ; and in Rangoon huts may be seen adorned 
with as many as twenty or thirty nests, or even more. Mr. Jerdan 
visited a house where quite a baya colony was established ; upwards of 
a hundred nests being pendent from its roof It is singular that this 
bird, wliich in certain parts of India seeks the vicinity of human 
