3 0 6 Foreign Finches in. Captivity.
it, ill a few pairs, aud for the most part only in single male specimens at the
large dealers ? Superficiallj' as in its entire behaviour it looks like a larger copy
of the Orange-bird."
" In the Bird-room the Oiyx is one of the easiest and also most satisfactorily
nesting Weaver-birds. Moreover he carries a token of it in a most conspicuous
maimer as evidence. For instance the Fire-Weavers exhibit their love-sport,
which, as already mentioned, has often been likened to the pairing of Gallinaceous
birds, and has been alread}- described in the summai-j' of this group, in an
especially lively and comical fashion. Among them again the Oryx excels in
quite a remarkable manner. His behaviour in nesting-time is absolutely of such
a character as to mock all attempt at description. I must therefore—though ver}'
niiwillingi}'—leave to Mr. Eniil Schmidt the demonstration of this marvellous
dancer as it has exhibited itself countless times in the Bird-room to his artistic
gaze.
As an illustration I also append an obsen-ation relative to it by Dr.
Reicheuow: "One constantlj- sees the male puff itself out and dance in order to
exhibit the full beauty of its magnificent- plumage to the plain, modest female
clothed in grej'. I believe there are no other birds so coquettish as the forms of
this Weaver. The coquetry is habitual with them, amounting as one may say to
folly ; they even waltz when they are not observed by the female, aud appear
to take the greatest delight in themseh'es.
The flight of the Fire-Weavers is whirring ; during which they hold the
upper part of the bodj- very slanting, and this distinguishes them from all other
Weaver-birds. Moreover thej- are verj' indifferent flyers and but rarely return b)-
longer routes."
The first Oryx-Weaver in lU}- Bird-room was still so youug, that it had not
completelj- acquired its full colouring. Coiiseqiientlj' it did not yet stand up with
the full, saucy assurance, which at other times is characteristic of it, but rather
permitted itself even to be chased bj- a powerful Orange-bird, which also subdued
the Napoleon-Weaver aud even the Velvet-finch (Yellow-shouldered Weaver). In
the following year, however, it flung itself upon the tyrant and conquered all the
others. Whilst it industriously built several oval round nests entirely of Agave
fibre ill the bushes at a height of about from one, to one and a half metres,
(^roughly, three to five feet), it pursued two females of its own species as well
as those also of all the allied Weavers with its droll love dance, and very
zealously- fought with their husbands. Moreover it hunted all other birds from
the vicinity of its nests, and even would not permit a pair of Greyheads
The Grenadier Weaver. 307
(Madagascar Love-birds) to approach their nest-box, which was hanging immediately
overhead near the ceiling, so that the female died from inability to lay.
These little Parrots, which indeed are b}^ nature very brave, were unable to
defend themselves against its strong assault. As I let the Oryx Weaver have its
own way, I several times reared, from both females, two to three broods in a
year. Many a male, however, is so excited and restless that it never gets so far
as nest-building."
Illustrations from living male in the Zoological Gardens and from skins. , t