156 
YEETEBRATA. 
eludes an immense number of species, exhibiting a great variety of structure and habit. The) 
are characterized by ha\ang a short, stout, conical bill, with an acute tip, of which the upper 
mandible has no notch at the extremity. The tongue is rather fleshy, with the tip horny, and 
usually more or less slit. The oesophagus forms a small crop, and the stomach a powerful giz- 
zard, indicating, with the peculiar form of the bill, that the food of the birds consists principally 
of grain. The toes are of moderate length, armed with long curved claws, that of the hinder toe 
being often longer than the rest. The wings are rather short, and somewhat pointed at the ex- 
tremity, and the tail is composed of twelve 
feathers. These birds are active on the 
wing, their flight being usually effected by 
a series of jerks or undulations. On the 
ground they generally progress by hop- 
ping with both legs at once. They always 
pair, and their nests are usually beautifully 
constructed ; some of them are in fact most 
elaborate and ingenious structures. 
THE PLOCEIN^ OR WEAVER-BIRDS. 
These birds, the Tesserins of the French 
— some of which are so renowned for their 
ingenious architecture — are mostly inhab- 
itants of Africa, but a few species are found 
in India and the islands of the eastern arch- 
ipelago. They are all small birds ; their 
food generally consists of insects and seeds ; 
but one species — those of the genus Textor 
— accompany the buffaloes and perch on 
their backs, for the pui-pose of picking off 
the parasitic insects that infest them. 
Genus YIDVK : Vidua. — This includes 
the Whidah-Fincii or Widow-Bird — 
Veuve of the 'Svemoh—V. paradisea. The 
upper parts are of a deep, brownish-black ; 
lower parts pale buff. The bird is about 
the size of a canary, but in some specimens 
the tail-feathers of the male are a foot in 
length. Those of this species are fa- 
vorites for cafjes, on account of their ex- 
traordinary and not ungraceful appearance ; 
they are found in Senegal and South Af- 
rica. The Red-bellied AA^hidah-Finch, 
V. erythrorhynclms^ is a smaller species, 
inhabiting Senegal. 
(^ewMsEUPLECTES : IJuplectes.—lhh 
includes a species of which we know but 
little, except their nests, but these are cu- 
rious enough. They are most ingeniously 
W' oven of grass, im the shape of a chemist's 
retort, and are suspended from the branch 
of a tree over a lake, pool, or river, with 
the mouth down and nearly touching the 
water. The object of this arrangement is 
THE WIDOW-BIRD. 
to protect the eggs and young from the monkeys and serpents which abound in these regions. 
Genus PLOCETJS : PZocews.— This includes the Republican Weavers or Sociable Weav- 
