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Foi-eign Finches in Captivity.
where. the building materials la3' in a heap, the male preferred to wait, sitting
upon a projecting branch, until one of the other birds, no matter whether
larger or smaller, came past with a stalk, which it then suddenly snatched
from the bearer and flew with it to its building. That, however, is the only
act of violence which I can personally charge it with. When the nest was
nearly ready, the hen began diligently to join in the work. I cannot, however,
confirm the obser\'ation that both do this conjointly and pass the stalks
to one another; rather each stuck to its own stalk and plaited it alternately
in from outside and inside, meanwhile slipping hurriedly from one point to
another. Moreover the definition to weave (and consequently Weaver-bird) is
not quite correct ; since the nest consists of a little basket which is plaited
with mar\'ellous dexterity, care and symmetry'. The bents, threads, strips of
bast and Agave fibres are so placed and intertwined with astounding regularity,
that they run close to and between one another, encircle the twdgs of the
forked branch and produce the true globular nest, freely suspended. Moreover
the Blood-billed Weavers use Agave fibres preferably, still they do not despise
all kinds of threads and bents, yet they but rarely take fresh grass-leaves :
woollen threads, however, they leave untouched, if they can get anything
else. When nest-building, both sexes of the pair are by no means quarrelsome,
indeed nothing like so touchy as the Ornamental-finches. The male
frequently and repeatedl}' gives utterance to his harsh shack, schak, schak, and
pursues the female with quivering wings, as though begging for reciprocal
love. In fear and alarm tliey have a different, also monosyllabic and Sparrowlike
crj- and the call-note sounds somewhat softer, a kind of tck. The nest is
completed in from about seven to eight daj'S, the male working at it about
two hours in the early morning and one hour in the afternoon. Sometimes
it proceeds more quickly, but on the other hand frequentlj- more slowly.
The Dioch (another trivial name for this species), however, very often leaves
a nest uncompleted or pulls it to pieces again, in order to commence a new
one and before a brood is actually produced, it usually builds quite a number
of nests more or less perfect, until at last the female chooses one to her
taste. Indeed, as already mentioned, we find a similar aspect of affairs in
almost all the other Weaver-birds, and therefore need say no more about it.
The completed nest is spherical, with lateral entrance hole and proportionally
small, only of about the bulk of a strong man's fist. It looks most beautiful
when formed solely of Agave-fibre, very firm and in all parts symmetrically
strong, but plaited so thinlj' that one may see the eggs by looking up from
The Red-Billed Weaver. 315
below it. The laying consists of from three to seven eggs. Duration 0/ incubation
fourteen days." Dr. Russ adds that it is of the utmost importance to make
sure that both sexes are ready to breed simultaneously. This bird is absolutely
hard}? and will pass the winter without heat in perfect safety.
Illustrations from living examples in the author's possession.