CRIMSON-BILLED WEAVER. 189 
sessed many individuals, and he gives some interest- 
ing accounts of its manners, which we regret our 
space will not permit us to transcribe. 
In advanced age, or perhaps when in the highest 
plumage, the males sometimes assume a richness of 
colouring far more beautiful than what the gene- 
rality possess. M. Vieillot has figured one of 
these under the name of Le Dioch, from the rose 
oolour which supplants the ordinary tint on the 
crown, throat and under plumage. In every thing 
else, he observes, the two are precisely alike. 
Authors assert that this species varies consider- 
ably, but they do not appear to be aware that this 
variation, with the above exception, is merely caused 
by the moulting of the young males, which, like 
nearly all other birds, are first like the females. The 
figures of M. Vieillot are certainly the best, hut 
neither are very accurate, for the tails of all are 
represented as forked, instead of being even ; the 
feathers, however, are nevertheless divaricated, that 
is, the two middle are very slightly shorter than the 
others. A truly forked tail is entirely unknown in 
this sub-family. 
Total length about 4J inches ; bill, from the 
gape, ; wings, 2| ; tail beyond, ; tarsus, T 7 0 - ; 
hind toe and claw the same. 
