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oryzivorus) is well known to epicures. They migrate in vast 
numbers from south to north at the approach of summer and 
back again towards autumn, at which time they become very 
fat on the ripened seed of the reeds which grow on marsh 
lands along the rivers near the coast, and are shot in great 
numbers as a table delicacy. 
The Long-tailed Weaver Bird (Chera progne). This 
species may be known by the great elongation of the central 
tail-feathers of the male. These reach so great a length that 
a celebrated African traveler says of them :—“1 am informed 
that in the breeding season, when the male has assumed his 
nuptial livery and long tail-feathers, his flight is so labored 
that the children constantly run them down. They are quite 
unable to fly against the wind, and in rainy weather can hardly 
be got to move out of the thick bushes in which, knowing 
their helplessness, they conceal themselves. 
“The Kaffir children stretch bird-limed lines across the 
fields of millet and Kaffir corn, and snare great numbers of 
the males by their tails becoming entangled in the lines.”— 
Layard , “ Birds of South Africa .” 
The Weaver or Whidah Birds are noted for the peculiar 
nests which they weave from grass; these are mostly built on 
the community system, hundreds of the birds constructing 
together a sort of roof under which they separately build their 
nests. These nests are of different shapes, some of them 
much resembling a chemist’s retort, with the neck down, the 
orifice serving as entrance for all the birds whose dwellings 
are within. They are all natives of Africa. 
The Common Mynah (Acridotheres trisiis) and the Brown 
Mynah (.Acridotheres fuscus ) belong to an East Indian group 
allied to the starlings. 
The Magpie {Pica caudata) and Jackdaw (Corvus mone- 
dula), well known by their thievish propensities, are found all 
over Europe ; they belong to the Corvidce or Crows, as do 
the White-backed Piping Crow (Gymnorhina leuconota :) and 
the Butcher Crow (Barita destructor ), both of Australia, 
and the Blue Jay (Cyanurus cristatus) of North America. 
The order Picarice is represented by the woodpeckers, 
kingfishers, cuckoos, toucans, and trogons. 
The Laughing Jackass or Giant Kingfisher (Dacelo gi- 
gantea ) is the largest of the kingfishers, and inhabits Australia. 
