[Illustration: THE JAVA WEAVER BIRD (BAYA), AND NESTS.]
The CRIMSON-BEAKED WEAVER BIRD, or DIOCK (_Quelea sanguinirostris_), is
about four inches and ten lines long, and seven inches and ten lines
broad; the wing two inches, the tail rather more than one inch. The iris
is brown, the beak brownish red, and the feet pale red. The plumage of
this species varies considerably, according to the time of year. During
the breeding season, the coat of the male is chiefly of a yellowish red;
the face, forehead, cheeks, and throat black, the mantle appearing of a
greenish brown, mingled with a black shade that shines through from the
shafts of the feathers; these latter are edged with a red tinge; the wing
and tail feathers are black; the exterior web of the quills bordered with
lemon colour. The female and young birds are without the black upon the
face. Very shortly after the breeding season the male dons his winter
coat, in which the throat and belly are of a dirty white, and the breast
and sides of a dull yellow, all the feathers having faint lines upon
their shafts. The whole of the upper part of the body is a dark greenish
grey, the feathers of the mantle and nape of the neck being bordered with
yellow; the tail is brownish grey; the third, fourth, and fifth quills,
and the five exterior tail-feathers are gold colour, the rest of a paler
shade. The male is without the black face during the winter months.
[Illustration: BREEDING-NEST OF THE GOLDEN-FRONTED WEAVER BIRD
(_Oriolinus icterocephalus_).]
The Queleas must be regarded as by far the most numerous of the race
of Weaver Birds. In Soudan they are met with in enormous flocks, and
are certainly the commonest of the feathered inhabitants of Central and
Western Africa. We ourselves have seen twenty-seven brought down at a
single shot. The habits of the Diocks resemble those of other Weavers,
but, unlike most of them, they fly over the country, or perch upon the
river banks in flocks that number several thousands, many of which are
of other species. When in confinement these birds will carry on their
building operations with great industry, employing coloured thread, if
given to them, as a substitute for other materials. We have, moreover,
been told that feathers, yarns, and worsteds of brilliant hues are much
preferred for this purpose, and that the designs constructed from them
are sometimes extremely beautiful, but we cannot vouch for this from
our own experience. Reichenbach speaks of their manners in a way that
is by no means flattering. He tells us that the Crimson Beak is a most
quarrelsome, restless creature, and quite unfit to be placed in a cage
with other birds of smaller size, whom it never ceases to torment in
every conceivable manner; one very favourite method being to seize its
companion by the tail, and hold it thus suspended in the air for several
seconds, the tormentor meanwhile uttering cries expressive of its own
enjoyment of this, for a bird, very original pastime. It will sometimes
only relinquish its hold when the victim has successfully counterfeited
death from this cruel treatment. If not quite in the humour for such
_active_ amusement, the Crimson Beak contents itself with pulling out
the feathers of its playmates, who never seem to dream of opposing force
to force, and quietly submit to all its persecutions. When confined
with others of its own species, it is but little more conciliatory in
its manners, squabbles and fighting appearing to form the principal
diversion of the males, and even the females are not always exempted from
the disagreeable results occasioned by the decidedly eccentric tempers
of their mates. Their nests are suspended from the topmost branches of
trees, and are constructed of various dry materials woven together while
rendered flexible by the moisture sprinkled over them by the birds, who
use their claws when fastening down the various parts, the beak at the
same time doing its full share in carefully smoothing and arranging the
fibres into a proper state of neatness and order. The little couple
work together, apparently quarrelling the whole time; the male usually
appropriates to himself the business of constructing the exterior, while
the female is busy within, and the flexible stems employed being passed
from one to the other. The nest when completed is round in shape, the
front, where the entrance is situated, being somewhat straighter than
the rest; the whole fabric resembles a nicely padded willow basket.
The birds work for not more than three or four hours at a time, but so
industriously that only about eight days are occupied in building their
wonderfully beautiful home.
* * * * *
The TAHA may be selected as an example of a group of Weaver Birds
distinguished by their black plumage. These birds have a few Abyssinian
congeners also called Taha; in all of them the body is compact, the
wings and tail small, and the beak short, strong, and conical; the upper
mandible being slightly arched. The wings reach to the middle of the very
short tail; the first quill is almost rudimentary, the third longest of
all; the tail-feathers are of nearly equal length.