SOME CLEVER WEAVERS 43 
these little people, and if the branch hangs out 
over the water so much the better, as they are 
thus more secure from predatory animals. 
“ The cheery little weavers are favorite cage 
birds in their locality, though it is their plumage 
and happy dispositions which commend them, as 
the majority have no wealth of song. Of these 
the wax-bills, with their coral-red, waxy beaks, 
and the Java sparrows or 4 paddy ’ birds, in their 
pleasing coats of pure white, or of purple-slate 
and black, are the most common. Another ex¬ 
tremely curious little weaver is known as the 
widow or 4 widdah 9 bird. Although it is no larger 
than a canary, it has a wonderful draped tail al¬ 
most a foot long. Originally the name 4 widdah 
bird ’ was applied to a Portuguese species, which 
was garbed almost entirely in black, the long 
draping suggesting a widow’s weeds. Tropical 
species of the male 4 widdahs 9 are often gayly 
decked out in colors rivaling the most gorgeous 
parrots, while their gift of song further makes 
them much prized as cage birds. 
44 You will find a plate of Pensile Yests of 
Birds in the encyclopedia. First of all is the odd 
little pocket of the Australian flowerpecker, a lit¬ 
tle bird that is a near kin to our black and white 
creepers. Its cradle does not differ greatly from 
that of the Baltimore oriole’s, save that it is closed 
at the top and the entrance is made through a lit- 
