The Brccdltifr of the Chinese Green fineh. 
of Weavers. l"or n liin<^ all wont well, l)ut, as the l:)rccfling 
season advanreil the 1iil;c Hypthantornine Weavers bef^an 
to bull) tlh' (h-eenflnches considerably. However, at the bc- 
ginnin<:. ol' June I noticed the hen carrying feathers and the 
cock chasing her. On June 4th I noti-cd she had torn the 
roof out of a Rufous-necked \\'ca\er's nest,* and had built 
herself a cup-shaped home therein, in which she deposited live 
eggs (greenish-white, very lightly marked with brown spots 
and splashes, principally at the thick end). The hen incubated 
very steadily, while her mate stood "on guard" on a neigh- 
bouring branch. Such a happy state of afiai s did not continue 
for long, for one morning, after incubation had proceeded 
for about five days, I found the cock bird in a bad way- 
one leg badly damaged, and a great bare, raw patch on his 
breast — evidently the cock Rufous-neck Weaver had joined 
battle with him and the weaker bird had sul^ered. The hen, 
however, continued to incubate steadily, but just before the 
eggs were due to hatch came the end, nest and eggs being 
found on the ground -the Weaver was again the probable 
culprit. 
A few days later the cock having made a fair recovery; 
I saw that they were again prospecting for a nesting-site. 
J'hcir choice fell on an outlying branch of a laurel bush, 
where they constructed a neat, cup-shaped nest, almost en- 
tirely of grey and white goat"s hair. On this occasion but two 
eggs were laid; incubation commenced on June i sth. and 
on the 30th two chicks were hatched out. The callow young 
were covered with white down and grew apace, for by July 
7th the)- were begiiming to open their eyes, and feather tracts 
v.ere apparent. Both parents fed them assiduously with reg- 
urgitated seed, and bread and milk. 1 never saw the parents 
taking insects, and no mealworms were supplied. On the 13th 
one young bird left the nest, and the o:her the next day. 
The young birds were very clever at concealing them- 
selves and 1 scarcely saw them du)ing the lirst few days out 
of the nest. A heavy thunderstorm killed one of them but 
the other grew up into a nice bird. 
I should say that the hen alone incubates, the cock 
*See Plate. 
