. Cassell's natural history . in the pine forest;?,placing it at the extremity of the highest branches, and fixing it tliere with cobwebs, lliethreads of insects, and lichens. The outer part is well conslrucfed of small twigs, and thelining is formed of finely divided roots. It has two broods in the year, each of five orsix eggs, of a light gray, strongly spotted with purplish brown, particularly at llie largeend. The young males become finer each year till the fourtli. Tlieir ])lumage and .song arc both attractive, tliougli with the latter several tones arcmingled, tliat somewhat resemble the
. Cassell's natural history . in the pine forest;?,placing it at the extremity of the highest branches, and fixing it tliere with cobwebs, lliethreads of insects, and lichens. The outer part is well conslrucfed of small twigs, and thelining is formed of finely divided roots. It has two broods in the year, each of five orsix eggs, of a light gray, strongly spotted with purplish brown, particularly at llie largeend. The young males become finer each year till the fourtli. Tlieir ])lumage and .song arc both attractive, tliougli with the latter several tones arcmingled, tliat somewhat resemble the made by a stocking-loom. Iliis makes themgreat favourites with btocking-wcavers. They imitate tolerably, however, the song ofother birds. * Vidua ],ivlhiiivii(li\is,—bwniii Till-: WEAVER BIRDS.*. THE BKOAD-SHAPTEI) -WUmAII The Weavers are placed in a separate genus by jVf. Vieillot, and in the same family withthe orioles. Their bill is robust, advancing on the forehead in the form of an acuteangle ; it is convex above, a little compressed at the sides, entire, nearly straight, sharp,and sometimes a little gibbous. The lower mandible has its edges bent inwards ; thetongue is cartilaginous and fringed at the point; the nostrils are oblong and coveredwith a membrane. Jlost of these birds arc found in India or Africa. Their generic name is derived fromthe wonderful art with which they construct their nests, interlacing them with blades ofgrass; in which talent they resemble some other birds, the inhabitants of far distant lands. Of Cuviers genus, vidua, the whidah-bird is one of the most elegant species. Inorganisation and in manners they are true linnets. In captivity, which they endurewithout much appearance of constraint, they are lively and active, jumping from perchto
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1854
