from the noftrils fprings a dull green ftripe, which pafles through
the eye and beyond it, where it is broader: the hind part of the
head and neck, the back, rump, and wing Coverts, the famet the
quills black, edged with green : the belly deep grey : the vent
of a rufous red • the tail and legs black.
This fpecies is found at Madagafcar, and fabricates a neft of
a curious coni!ruction, compofed of ftraw and reeds interwoven
in fliape of a bag, the opening beneath. It is faftened above to
a twig of fome tree; moftly to thofe growing on the borders of
ftreams. One one fide of this, within, is the true neft. The bird
does not form a new neft every year, but faftens a new one to the
end of the laft * *; and often as far as five in number, one hanging
from another. Thefe build in fociety, like Rooks; often five or
fix hundred being feen on one tree. They have three young at
each hatch -f.
* Perhaps one of the nefts in Will. on. pi. 77. may be meant to reprcfent
this circumftance.
f Kampfer mentions, a bird limilar to this, i f not the fame, which makes the
neft, near Siam, on a tree with narrow leaves and fpreading branches, the fize of
an apple-tree: the neft in the fh ape of a purfe, with a long neck, made of dry
grafs and other materials, and fufpended at the ends of the branches j. the open*-
ing always to the north-weft. He counted fifty on one tree only; and defcribes
the bird itfelf as being like a Canary-bird, of a dark yellow, and chirps like a
Sparrow.-----Hiß of Japan, p. 3 5;.
Fryer alfo talks of the ingenuity of the Toddy Bird, making a neft “ like a
** fteeple, with winding meanders,” and tying it by a flender thread to the bough
of a tree. “ Hundreds of thefe pendulous nefts may be feen on thefe trees.”
They are Jaid alfo to build on the tree called Brabh. ——• Account of India, and,
Ferfia, 1698* p. 76«
LoxiaBengalenfis, Lin, Syji.u p. 305. N°32. BENGAL GRLe
Moineau de Bengale, Brif. orn. iii. p. 95. N° II*
L ’Orchef, Buf oif iii. p. 466.
Gros-bec des Indes, PI. enl. 393. f. 2.
Bengal Sparrow, Albin. ii. pi. 52.
Yellow-headed Indian Sparrow, Ed*w. pi. 189.
\ Trifle bigger than a Houfe Sparrow : length five inches and
* a half. Bill flelh-colour: irides whitilh : the top of the
head of a golden yellow : the upper parts of the body brown,
with paler edges: fides of the head and under parts rufous
white : acrofs the breaft a brown band, uniting to, and of the fame
colour with, the upper parts of the body: legs pale yellow :
claws grey.
The female is like the male in all things; but the colours are
much lefs vivid.
Inhabits Bengal.
Loxia Collaria, Lin.Sy.Jl. i. p.305. N° 31,
Le Gros-bec Nonette, Buf. oif. iii. p. 446.— PI. enl 353. f. 3..
g I Z E. of the Blue Titmoufe, and not unlike it in appearance:
length four inches and a half. The bill black : the forehead
tjare: top' of the head, and upper part of the body, greenifh
blue: temples black : under parts and rump 'rufous white:
round the neck a collar of the fame : acrofs the breaft a mottled
black band : * wings rufous yellow and black, mixed: tail
black : legs pale brown.
Inhabits the Eajt Indies*
Le
Description.
Female.
Placb.
34* ; ^
NUN GK.
DESCRlETlONi-
Pe ACE.-