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THE RED-BILLED WEAVER BIRD. 
The Rufous-necked Weaver is also an inhabitant of Africa, being found in Senegal, 
Congo, and other hot portions of that continent. 
By many persons this species is known by the name of the Capmore Weaver, a term which 
is evidently nothing but a corruption of Buff on’s name for the same bird, namely “Le.Cap- 
noir,” or Blackcap Weaver. It is a brisk and lively bird, and possesses a cheerful though not 
very melodious song. It has often been brought to Europe, and is able to withstand the effects 
of confinement with some hardihood, living for several years in a cage. Some of these caged 
birds carried into captivity the habits of freedom, and as soon as the spring made its welcome 
appearance, they gathered together every stem of grass or blade of hay, and by interweaving 
these materials among the wires of their cage, did their utmost to construct a nest. The food 
of this bird consists mostly of beetles and other hard-shelled insects ; and in order to enable 
it to crush their defensive armor, which is extremely strong in many of the African beetles, 
its peak is powerful and its edges somewhat curved. Seeds of various kinds also form part 
of its diet ; and the undulating edge of the bill is quite as useful in shelling the seeds as in 
crushing the insects. 
GOLD and RUFOUS-NECKED WEAVER BIRD.- Eyphantomis galbula and abysslnica. 
The general color of this species is orange-yellow, variegated with black upon the upper 
surface. The head, chin, and part of the throat are black, and a ruddy chestnut band crosses 
the nape of the neck. Like many other birds, however, it changes the color of its plumage 
according to the time of year, and after the breeding season is over, its head assumes a tint 
somewhat like that of the back. It is by no means a large bird, its total length being a little 
more than six inches. 
One of the best known of these curious birds is the Red-billed Weaver Bird. 
This species is common in Southern Africa, and is notable for its habit of attending the 
herds of buffaloes in a manner somewhat similar to that of the African beef -eater, which has 
already been described. It does not, however, peck the deep-seated grubs from the hide, as 
its bill is not sufficiently strong for that purpose, but devotes itself to the easier task of 
