The weaver-birds do not ascend the hills, but several species of munia are found on the Nilgiris. Spotted munias (_Uroloncha punctulata_) are abundant in the vicinity of both Coonoor and Ootacamund. They occur in flocks on closely-cropped grassland. They feed on the ground. They are tiny birds, not much larger than white-eyes. The upper plumage is chocolate brown, becoming a rich chestnut about the head and neck, while the breast and abdomen are mottled black and white, hence the popular name. The black spots on the breast and abdomen cause these to look like the surface of a nutmeg grater; for that reason this munia is sometimes spoken of as the nutmeg-bird. The rufous-bellied munia (_Uroloncha pectoralis_) occurs abundantly a little below Coonoor, but does not appear to ascend so high as Ootacamund. Its upper parts are chocolate brown, save the feathers above the tail, which Oates describes as "glistening fulvous." The wings and tail are black, as are the cheeks, chin, and throat. The lower parts are pinkish brown. The stout bill is slaty blue. Like the spotted munia, this species is considerably smaller than a sparrow. The Indian red-munia or red waxbill or _lal_ (_Sporaeginthus amandava_) is another very small bird. Its bill and eyes are bright red. Over its brown plumage are dotted many tiny white spots. There are also some large patches of red or crimson, notably one on the rump. The amount of crimson varies considerably; in the breeding season nearly the whole of the upper plumage of the cock is crimson. Amadavats go about in flocks and utter a cheeping note during flight. Their happy hunting grounds are tangles of long grass. Amadavats occur all over the Nilgiris. THE FRINGILLIDAE OR FINCH FAMILY Finches are seed-eating birds characterised by a stout bill, which is used for husking grain. The common sparrow (_Passer domesticus_) is the best known member of the finch family. Most of us see too much of him. He is to be observed in every garden on the Nilgiris, looking as though the particular garden in which he happens to be belongs to him. As a rule, sparrows nest about houses, but numbers of them breed in the steep cuttings on the road between Coonoor and Ootacamund. The only other finch common on the Nilgiris is the rose-finch (_Carpodacus erythrinus_). This, however, is only a winter visitor: it departs from the Nilgiris in April and does not return until the summer season is over. THE HIRUNDINIDAE OR SWALLOW FAMILY This family includes the swallows and the martins. The swallows commonly found on the Nilgiris in summer are the Nilgiri house-swallow (_Hirundo javanica_) and the red-rumped or mosque swallow (_H. erythropygia_). I regret to have to state that Oates has saddled the latter with the name "Sykes's striated swallow"; he was apparently seduced by the sibilant alliteration!