PLOCEUS PHILIPPINUS. 
643 
round Mount Aboo in the cold season^ and also in the surrounding districts^ according to Mr. Hume. It has 
lately been added to the avifauna of Sindh on the evidence of a single specimen procured in the Kurrachee 
coUectorate. Crossing the empire to the eastward, we find it in the North-west Provinces and Central Bengal, 
and throughout Chota Nagpur, where Mr. Ball found it abundant. In the region lying along the cast coast 
between the Ganges and the Godaveri, the same writer records it from many places, such as Bardwan, 
Manbhum, Lohardugga, Singhbhum, Orissa, south of Mahanadi, Nowagarh, and Karial ; and Mr. Hume 
notes it from Raipur and Sambalpur in the same district. Prom Furreedpore, Eastern Bengal, Mr. Cripps 
records a Ploceus in abundance, but, not having kept specimens of it, he is unable to say whether it was the 
continental Indian or the Nepal bird. 
Habits . — This Weaver-bird is found about the borders of open land or scrubby wastes in the vicinity of 
water more frequently than away from it. It affects low trees, palms, strips of jungle between paddy-fields 
and the like, and congregates in large flocks, which keep up an incessant chattering and a repetition of long- 
drawn sibilant whistles on the part of the males, which appear to be uttered as an encouragement to the females 
during the process of building their laboriously constructed nests. The energy displayed, particularly on the 
part of the male, in the construction of these wonderful structures, and the extraordinary aptitude which they 
show for learning the tricks so well known in India, entitle the Weaver-bird to a high place among the 
intelligent members of the feathered creation. A young pair which I endeavoured to I’ear at Galle, but which 
fell a prey to rats, displayed signs of unusual intelligence at a very early age. As soon as they were fledged 
they recognized me, and knew well when to expect their food, fluttering along the floor when let out of their 
cage, and scrambling up my legs into my lap to get fed. 
The account by Blytli of the performances of the Baya in India, which is quoted in J erdon, is so interesting 
that I cannot do better than transcribe it here for my readers. After stating that exhibitors carry them about 
to all parts of the country, he says “ The usual procedure is, when ladies are present, for the bird, on a sign 
from its master, to take a sweatmeat in its bill and deposit it between a lady^s lips, and repeat this offering to 
every lady present, the bird following the look and gesture of its master. A miniature cannon is then brought, 
which the bird loads with coarse grains of powder one by one, or more commonly with small balls of powder 
made up for the purpose ; it next seizes and skilfully uses a small ramrod, and then takes a lighted match from 
its master, which it applies to the touch-hole.^' He further remarks, “ We have seen the little bird apply the 
match five or six times successively before the powder ignited, which it finally did, with a report loud enough 
to alarm all the crows in the neighbourhood, while the little Baya remained perched on the gun, apparently 
quite elated with its performance." 
The Baya has a strong rapid flight; it roosts in flocks, and not unfrequently resorts to large reed-beds, in 
common with the next species, and there takes up its quarters for the night in company with flocks of Munias. 
It is very destructive in paddy-fields, establishing itself in the vicinity of these in large colonies, and feeding 
greedily on the grain. Its movements about the country are no doubt regulated, to a certain extent, by the time 
of harvest in different districts ; and when it takes up its quarters in the vicinity of large paddy-fields before 
they are cut, it usually takes advantage of the abundance of material and commences to breed, constructing 
its nest of the blades of corn. 
Nidification.—ln the south-west and south of Ceylon the Common Weaver-bird breeds from May and 
June until August, and in the north from October until January. It chooses trees standing in open places or 
on the borders of fields, cheenas, lakes, &c., and nearly always associates in a large flock, which make their 
nests in adjacent trees, suspending from one to a dozen or so to the branches of each, the whole number 
accommodating a very large and noisy colony of these busy little architects. At times they will choose a river- 
bank or a hanging wood on a hill-side overlooking some extensive or perhaps secluded paddy-field, and then 
the sight of the many pendent nests swaying perchance to and fro with the wind, as one looks up at them from 
the open beneath, is very interesting. Much has been written about the nidification of the Weaver-bird, and there 
must be few inhabitants in Ceylon who are not familiar with its wonderful nest, the most striking part of 
whieh is the long entrance-tube, which attains occasionally a length of 4 feet ! The nest is composed of those 
materials which are abundant on the spot chosen by the colony. I have seen a whole batch of nests constructed 
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