M
T H E YEL'LOW-SHOULDERED WEAVER
Pyromelana capmsù, LINN.
NHABITS tlie western districts of tlie Cape of Good Hope and frequently
imported to this country : unfortunately its powerful beak and somewhat
quarrelsome disposition render it an unsuitable companion for the smaller weavers.
A Weaver-bird in a cage may be very handsome, but it is seen to so little
advantage that, with a limited number of large aviaries, it has always appeared
to me better to be without P. capensis than to confine it in a cage where it
cannot fly about freely.
The male of this bird, when in breeding plumage, is velvety black, the
flight-feathers dark brown ; the lower back and croup bright golden yellow, as
also are the lesser and median wing-coverts ; scapulars brown with a yellow gloss
and black centres ; thighs browm ; under wing-coverts pale buff edged with yellow,
the margin of wing also yellow. Length 5/„ inches. Beak dark blue-grey, legs
3'ellowish-brown ; iris brown.
The female above is brown, the feathers with broad blackish centres, those
of the fore-back "with pale margins ; lower back and croup olivaceous yellow
streaked with smoky brown ; upper tail-coverts pale brown with dusky centres ;
lesser and median wing-coverts dark brown with olivaceous yellow margins ;
remainder of wing and tail feathers dark browu, with pale edges and
yellowish gloss ; lores and an indistinct eyebrow olive-yellow ; feathers round eye
whitish ; sides of face and ear-coverts dark brown ; cheeks and under surface
whity-brown ; streaked, excepting on the chest and abdomen, with dark brown ;
abdomen whitish ; under wing-coverts j'cllowish, quills duskjf, with buff inner
edges. Length 6 inches.
The male in winter plumage somewhat closely resembles the female, but is
decidedly larger : at this season the beak is said to be brown, with paler lower
mandible and the legs 3rellowish flesh-coloured.
Messrs. Sharpe and Layard give the following account of the wild life of
this species :—