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can hardly be got to move out of the thick bushes in which, 
knowing their helplessness, they conceal themselves. 
“The Kaffir children stretch bird-limed lines across the 
fields of millet and Kaffir corn and snare great numbers of 
the males by their tails becoming entangled in the lines.” — 
Layard, “ Birds of South Africa." 
The Weaver or Whidah Birds are noted for the peculiar 
nests which they weave from grass ; these are mostly built on 
the community system, hundreds of the birds constructing 
together a sort of roof under which they separately build their 
nests. These nests are of different shapes, some of them 
much resembling a chemist’s retort, with the neck down, the 
orifice serving as entrance for all the birds whose dwellings 
are within. They are all natives of Africa. 
The Common Mynah {Acridotheres tristis'), and the Brown 
Mynah {Acridotheres fuscus') belong to an East Indian group 
allied to the starlings. 
The Magpie {Pica caudatd), well known by its thievish pro- 
pensities, is found all over Europe; it belongs to the Corvidcz 
or Crows, as do the White-backed Piping Crow {Gymnor- 
hina leuconota) and the Butcher Crow {Barita destructor'), 
both of Australia, and the Blue Jay {Cyanurus cristatus) of 
North America. 
The order Picaricz is represented by the Woodpeckers, 
Kingfishers, Cuckoos, Toucans, and Trogons. 
THE LAUGHING JACKASS. 
