THE ORIOLE. 
73 
Another and very different bird is popularly known in Africa as the Golden 
Oriole. This is one of the Ploceincz or weaver birds, also celebrated for their 
singularly-woven nests—the Ploceus ocularius —and it is really a finch. Its nests 
resemble a huge horse-pistol with the barrels pointing downward, and they are 
invariably hung from the end of pliant branches over water, so that any addition 
to the weight of the bough immerses the nests. Though gregarious in their 
nesting arrangements, the separate pairs keep mostly together. The male and female 
are so devoted to their duties when incubating that they may with the greatest 
ease be taken alive. The reason of the curious shape and choice of locality adopted 
by these birds is in order to baffle monkeys and snakes. Any such would-be 
invader is at once dipped into the water and effectually prevented from plundering 
the birds’ treasures. No more beautiful instance of the methods which instinct 
teaches birds to employ for safety can be conceived than the nests of this species. 
The bird itself is nearly as large as a thrush, of a bright yellow colour, except 
the tips of the wings, which are brownish. Thus it may be seen how colonists 
from Europe have given this bird the name of the bird they so well remembered 
at their old homes. An eye-witness forwarded to Mr. Wood the following account 
of the African so-called Golden Oriole :—“ The birds make a great disturbance when 
building, there being usually a regular fight in order to secure the best places. In 
building the birds first commence by working some stout flags or reeds from the 
branch, so as to hang downwards. They then attach the upper part of the nest 
to the branch, so as to form the dome-like roof. By degrees they complete the 
globular bulb, still working downwards, and lastly the neck is attached to the body 
of the nest. Great skill is required to keep the neck even and open, and yet no 
machine could accomplish the work better than do these ingenious little architects. 
The upper part of the nest is very thick and firmly built, more than twice as thick 
as the neck, and the material of which it is made is far stronger. In some 
instances I have seen one nest attached to another; and when this is the case, the 
second builder strengthens the first nest, and then attaches his own work thereto. 
“ Should by chance a hawk or monkey venture into the vicinity of a colony of 
birds, it is chased and chirped at by hundreds of these little creatures, who make 
common cause against the intruder, and quickly drive him off. During the building 
of the nests, the river-side is a most interesting place, as the intelligence and 
diligence of the birds are most remarkable.” 
K 
