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THE

BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA

BY

ARTHUR C. STARK, M.B.

VOL. I.

WITH A MAP AND ILLUSTRATIONS

%ont>on

E. H. POKTEE
7, PRINCES STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE, W.

1900

II l-ii i i i%i< n K T

LONDON

PRINTED BY

JOHN BALE, SONS AND DANIELSSON, LTD.

83-89, GT. TITCHFIELD STREET

W.

PEEFACE.

The present volume is the first of a series in which it
is proposed to give an account of the Fauna of Africa south
of the Zambesi and Cunene Kivers.

It relates to the Passerine Birds, and contains descrip-
tions of twelve out of the twenty South African families,
and their constituent species.

This portion of the ''Fauna" has been undertaken by
Dr. A. C. Stark, who, besides being well acquainted with
the literature of the subject, has spent a considerable time
in various parts of the country to which it relates, and has
had excellent opportunities of observing the birds in their
native haunts.

W. L. S.

South African Museuyn, Capetown.

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2007 with funding from

Microsoft Corporation

http://www.archive.org/details/birdsofsouthafri01starrich

INTRODUCTION.

The present volume deals with about one half of the
Passerine birds found in that portion of South Africa which
lies to the south of the Zambesi and Cunene Rivers.

In it I have endeavoured to arrange the subject matter in
such a manner that a tyro in ornithology may be enabled
to identify a specimen with a certain amount of ease and
accuracy. The plan and arrangement adopted is based upon
that followed by Mr. Eugene Gates in the volumes on
''Birds" in the ''Fauna of British India," viz., to give a
full description, illustrated where necessary, of the characters
which define the different genera, followed by a key to the
species included in each. Under each species references are
given to the author by whom it was first described, to the
principal writers on South African ornithology by whom it
is mentioned, to the volume of the Catalogue of Birds in the
Collection of the British Museum in which it is described,
and to Captain Shelley's " Birds of Africa," as well as to a
figure, when one exists.

The majority of the descriptions have been taken from
specimens in the collection of the South African Museum at
Cape Town, the remainder from examples in the Albany
Museum at Grahamstown, the Durban Museum, Natal, and
my own collection. A few of the species described are not
represented in South African collections, and in these cases I
have either consulted the original descriptions or have examined
the " type " specimens in the British or Berlin Museums.

In the descriptions I have to a large extent followed the
plan adopted in the Catalogue of Birds in the British
Museum, both as regards the feathered regions and the

Vni. INTEODUCTION

colours. About two-thirds of the nests and eggs described
were collected by myself in various parts of Cape Colony,
Natal, and the Transvaal between 1892 and 1898 ; the
remainder are described from thoroughly authenticated speci-
mens in the extensive collection in the South African
Museum, unless it is otherwise stated.

Under " Habits " I have endeavoured to give a short and
concise account of the general habits, food, notes and nidifica-
tion of each species. When not otherwise stated the infor-
mation has been taken and generally much condensed from
field-notes made by myself between 1892 and 1898 at various
localities on the coast between the mouths of the Orange and
Zambesi Rivers, and during the course of several expeditions
through the inland districts of Cape Colony, Natal, the Orange
Free State and the Transvaal. For information regarding the
Birds of Damara Land I have drawn freely from the late Mr.
J. H. Gurney's edition of Andersson's '' Birds of Damara
Land ; " I have also culled much valuable information regard-
ing the birds of Natal and the Transvaal from the excellent
field-notes of Mr. Thomas Ayres, of Potchefstroom, published
in " The Ibis," as well as from the valuable contributions of
Dr. Sharpe and Captain Shelley to the same periodical and to
" The Proceedings of the Zoological Society." In addition,
frequent extracts have been made from the classical pages of
Le Yaillant, Sir Andrew Smith and Layard and Sharpe, and
from papers contributed to " The Ibis," " The Proceedings of
the Zoological Society," and ''The Zoologist" by various
field naturalists and students of ornithology.

With two exceptions all the figures in this volume are
from original drawings by Mr. H. Gronvold, of the Natural
History Museum at South Kensington, and I feel greatly
indebted to that gentleman for the care and unwearied
patience with which he has endeavoured, and succeeded, in
meeting my wishes.

To Mr. W. L. Sclater, the Director of the South African
Museum at Cape Town, I am greatly indebted for allowing
me every facility for studying the collections under his charge.
My thanks are due to Dr. Sharpe, of the British Museum, to
Dr. Schonland, of the Albany Museum, and to Mr. Quekett,

INTRODUCTION

IX.

allowing

me access to their

of the Durban Museum, for
collections.

To Dr. P. L. Sclater I am indebted for much valuable
advice, for giving me free access to the Ubrary of the Zoolo-
gical Society of London, and in addition, to the labour he has
bestowed on the correction of my proofs.

AKTHUE COWELL STAEK.

Durban, Natal,
October 10, 1899.

Diagram of a Starling {Spreo bicolor ) :

To SHOW THE NOMENCLATURE OF THE PLUMAGE AND OTHER EXTERNAL PARTS.

1.

Maxilla or upper mandible.

20.

Lower tail-coverts.

2.

Mandible or lower mandible.

21.

Rectrices or tail feathers.

3.

Culmen or ridge.

22.

Scapulars.

4.

Gonys.

23.

Lesser wing-coverts.

5.

Commissure or line

of i unction of

24.

Middle wing-coverts.

the maxilla and mandible.

25.

Greater wing-coverts.

6.

Gape.

26.

Primary coverts.

7.

Nostril.

27.

Bastard- wing or thumb.

8.

Forehead.

28.

Secondaries or cubitals (quills

9.

Lore.

springing from the forearm, from

10.

Crown or vertex.

6 to 30).

11.

Nape.

29.

Primaries (the outer 9 to 16 quills)

12.

Ear-coverts.

springing from the hand.

13.

Cheeks.

30.

Lower throat or fore-neck.

14.

Chin.

.31.

Breast.

15.

Throat.

32.

Abdomen.

16.

Side of neck.

33.

Tibio-tarsal or ankle joint.

17.

Back.

34.

Tarsus or tarso-metatarsus.

18.

Rump.

35.

Inner-toe or second toe.

19.

Upper tail-coverts.

36.

Hind-toe, first toe, or hallux.

INTEODUCTION

Under surface of the Wing of a Cuckoo Shrike :
to show the distribution of the feathers, the ten outer quills or
primaries springing from the hand, the inner quills or secondaries from

the forearm.

a. First or outer primary.

h. Tenth or innermost primary.

c. Secondaries.

d. Under wing-coverts.

e. Axillary feathers.

All measurements are in inches and decimals of an inch.

The length is (unless otherwise stated) taken from the tip
of the bill to the end of the longest tail-feather.

The length of the wing from the angle of the wing to the
tip of the longest quill, measured straight.

That of the tail from the root of the tail, whence the quills
spring, to the tip of the longest feather.

The tarsus is measured from the joint, or articulation of
the tarsus with the tibia, to that with the middle toe.

The culmen is measured from the frontal feathers to the
point of the bill.

BIBLIOGEAPHY OF SOUTH AFKICAN BIKDS.

Alexander (B.), An Ornithological Expedition to the Cape Verde Islands.

Ibis, 1898, p. 74 and p. 277.
(Sir J. E.), Expedition into the Interior of Africa. 8vo. London, 1838.

(Description of New Species of Birds, by G. E. Waterhouse.)
Andersson (C. J.) Lake Ngami. Koyal 8vo. London, 1856.

The Okovango Eiver. 8vo. London, 1861.

Notes on the Birds of Damara Land and the adjacent countries of

South-West Africa. Ed. by J. H. Gurney. 8vo. London, 1872.
Ayres (T.), Notes on Birds of the Transvaal Eepublic. Ibis, 1869, p. 286 ;

1871, p. 147 and p. 253 ; 1873, p. 280 ; 1874, p. 101 ; 1877, p. 339 ;

1878, p. 281 and p. 406 ; 1879, p. 285 and p. 389 ; 1880, p. 99 and

p. 257 ; 1884, p. 217 ; 1885, p. 341 ; 1886, p. 282.
Ayres (W.), A List of Birds collected in Transvaal and in Umzeilla's

Country. Ibis, 1887, p. 47.

Baines (T.), Explorations in South-West Africa. 8vo. London, 1864.
Barratt (F. a.). Ornithological Notes made during Trips between Bloem-

fontein and the Lydenburg Gold-fields. Ibis, 1876, p. 191.
Bechstein (J. M.), Genieinniitzige Naturgeschichte Deutschlands nach alien

drey Eeichen. 4 vols. 8vo. Leipzig, 1789-95.

Ditto. Second Edition, 3 vols. 8vo. Leipzig, 1801-1807.

Beddard (F. E.), The Structure and Classification of Birds. 8vo.

London, 1898.
BiANCONi (G, G.), Specimina Zoologica Mosambicana. Fasc. i-xviii. 4to.

Bononiffi, 1847-67.
Blanford (W. T.), Observations on the Geology and Zoology of Abyssinia

8vo. London, 1870.
and Dresser (H. E.), Monograph of the Genus Saxicola, Bechstein.

P. Z. S. 1874, p. 213.

See Gates (E. W.).

Bocage (J. V. Barboza du), Aves das possessoes portuguezas da Africa
occidental que existem no Museum de Lisboa. Jorn. Sci. Ac. Lisboa,
i, p. 129 (1867) ; 2nd List, ibid, i, p. 324 (1867) ; 3rd List, ibid, ii,
p. 38 (1868) ; 4th List, ii, p. 333 (1869) ; 5th List, ibid, iii, p. 266
(1871); 6th List, ibid, iv, p. 66 (1872); 7th List, ibid, iv, p. 194
(1873) ; 8th List, ibid, iv, p. 281 (1873) ; 9th List, ibid, v, p. 32

Xll. BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SOUTH AFRICAN BIRDS

(1874) ; 10th List, ibid, v, p. 47 (1874) ; 11th List, ibid, v, p. 146
(1876) ; 12th List, ibid, v, p. 248 (1876) ; 13th List, ibid, vi, p. 60

(1877) ; 14th List, ibid, vi, p. 142 (1877) ; 15th List, ibid, vi, p. 151

(1878) ; 16th List, ibid, vi, p. 193 (1878) ; 17th List, ibid, vi, p. 260
(1878) ; 18th List, ibid, vii, p. 100 (1879) ; 19th List, ibid, vii, p. 229

(1880) ; 20th List, ibid, viii, p. 62 (1880) ; 21st List, ibid, viii, p. 120

(1881) ; 22nd List, ibid, viii, p. 291 (1881) ; 23rd List, ibid, ix, p. 20

(1882) ; 24th List, ibid, ix, p. 80 (1882).

BocAGE (J. V. Barboza du), Ornithologie d'Angola. Royal 8vo. Lisbonne,
1877-81.

Aves da Zambezia e do Transvaal, colligidas pelo Major Serpa Pinto.

Jorn. Sci. Ac, Lisboa, vii, p. 133 (1880).
BoDDAERT (P.), Table des Planches enlumineez d'histoire naturelle de M.

D'Aubenton.- Folio. Utrecht, 1783.
BoLLE (C), Ein bisher ungenannter Fink Westafrika's. Journ. filr Ornith.

1858, p. 355.
Bonaparte (Prince C. L.), Iconografia della Fauna Italica. Uccelli, Folio,

Roma, 1832-41.

Saggio di una Distribuzione metodica degli Animali vertebrati. 8vo.

Roma, 1831.

Conspectus Generum Avium. 2 vols. 8vo. Leyden, 1850-57.

BoNNATERRE (L'Abbe) et ViEiLLOT (L. P.), Tableau encyclopedique et

methodique des trois Regnes de la Nature : Ornithologie. 3 vols.

4to. Paris, 1823-25.
Bree (C. R.), a History of the Birds of Europe not observed in the British

Islands. 4 vols. 8vo. London, 1859-63.
Brisson (M. J.), Ornithologia, sive synopsis methodica, sistens Avium

divisionem in ordines, sectiones, genera, species, ipsarumque

varietates. 6 vols. 4to. Paris, 1760.
Bryden (H. a.). Kloof and Karroo. 8vo. London, 1889.

Gun and Camera in Southern Africa. 8vo. London, 1893.

Buckley (T. E.), List of Birds collected or observed during a Journey into

the Matabili Country in 1873. Ibis, 1874, p. 355.
BuRCHELL (W. J.), Travels in the Interior of Southern Africa. 2 vols. 4to.

1822-24.
Butler (A. G.), Foreign Finches in Captivity. 4to. London, 1894-96.
Butler (E. A.), Feilden (H. W.) and Reid (S. G.), Ornithological Notes

from Natal. Zoologist, 1882, pp. 165, 204, 243, 297, 335, 423, 460.
On the Variations in the plumage of Saxicola monticola as observed

in Natal. Ibis, 1883, p. 331.
BiJTTiKOFER (J.), On Birds from the Congo and South Western Africa.

Notes Leyden Mus. vol. x, p. 209 (1888).
Cabanis (J.), and Heine (F.), Museum Heineanum, Theil i.-iv. 8vo.

Halberstadt, 1850-63.
Catalogue of Birds in the collection of the British Museum. 27 vols. 8vo.

London, 1874-98.

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SOUTH AFRICAN BIRDS Xlll.

Chapman (J.), Travels m the Interior of South Africa. 2 vols. 8vo.

London, 1868.
CuviER (Baron G.), Legons d'Anatomie comparee, recueillies et publiees

sous ses yeux par C. Dumeril. 5 vols. 8vo. Paris, 1800-05.

Le Eegne Animal. 4 vols. 8vo. Paris, 1817.

Ditto. Nouvelle edition. 5 vols. 8vo. Paris, 1829.

Daudin (F. M.), Traite elementaire et complet d'Ornithologie. 2 vols.

4to. Paris (1800).
Decken (Baron C. C. von der), Keisen in Ost-Afrika. Vol. iii. Eoy 8vo.

Leipzig, 1869. Vol. iv. Vogel. von 0. Finsch and G. Hartlaub.

Koy 8vo. Leipzig, 1870.
Delegorgue (A.), Voyage dans I'Afrique Australe. 2 vols. 8vo. Paris,

1847.
Des Murs (O.), Voyage en Abyssinie execute pendant les annees 1839-43,

par M. Theophile Lefebvre. 4th Part, Zoologie. Text, 8vo. Atlas,

foHo. Paris, 1845-50.

Iconographie Ornithologique. Folio. Paris, 1849.

Distant (W. L.), A Naturalist in the Transvaal. 8vo. London, 1892.

Dresser (H. E.) and Sharpe (R B.), A History of the Birds of Europe.
8 vols. 4to. London, 1871-81.

Dresser (H. E.), A Monogi-aph of the Meropida3, or family of the Bee-
eaters. Imp. 4to. London, 1884-86.

' A Monograph of the Coraciidae, or family of the Rollers. Imp. 4to.

1893.

Supplement to a History of the Birds of Europe. 4to. 1895-96.

See Blanford (W. T.).

Dumeril (C), see Cuvier (Baron G.)

Elliott (D. G.), A Review of the Genus Malimbiis, Vieillot. Ibis, 1876,

p. 456.
A Monograph of the Bucerotidte, or family of the Hornbills. Folio.

London, 1877-82.
Evans (A. H.), Bkds. 8vo. London, 1899. (Cambridge Natural History,

vol. ix.)

Feilden (H. W.), see Butler (E. A.)

Finsch (0.), Ueber eine anscheinend neue Prachtfinliart. Die Gefied. Welt,

1877, p. 317.
und Hartlaub (G.), Die Vogel Ost-Afrikas. (Von der Decken's

Reisen in Ost-Afrika, Bd. iv.). Royal 8vo. Leipzig und Heidelberg,

1870.
Fischer (G. A.) und Reichenow (A,), Uebersicht der von Dr. G. A. Fischer

auf Sansibar und wahrend eine Reise durch das Kustenland von

Mombassa bis Wito; gesammelten oder sicher beobachten Vogel.

Journ. fiir Ornith. 1878, p. 247.

XIV. BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SOUTH AFRICAN BIRDS

Gadow (Hans), Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum. Vol. viii.

8vo. London, 1883.

Ditto. Vol. ix. 8vo. London, 1884.

Gmelin (J. F.), see Linnaeus.

Gray (G. K.), Genera of Birds. 3 vols. Folio. London, 1844-49.

On two new Genera of CertJiince. P. Z. S. 1847, p. 6.

Hand List of Genera and Species of Birds. 3 vols. 8vo. London,

1869-71.
Grill (J. W.), Zoologiska Anteckningar under en Kesa i sodra delarne

af Caplandet ; Aren, 1853-55. Af J. F. Victorm. 4to. Stockholm,

1858. (Kongl. Svensk. Vet.-Ak. Handl. Stockholm.)

GuRNEY (J. H.), List of a Collection of Birds from the Colony of Natal. Ibis,

1859, p. 234.

On Birds collected in the Colony of Natal. Ibis, 1860, p. 203 ; 1861,

p. 128 ; 1862, p. 25 and p. 149 ; 1863, p. 320 ; 1864, p. 346 ; 1865,

p. 263 ; 1868, p. 40 and p. 460 ; 1873, p. 254.
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Kaptorial Birds in the Norfolk and

Norwich Museum. Part I. Koyal 8vo. London, 1864.
A List of Birds collected in Damara Land by Mr. C. J. Andersson.

P. Z. S. 1864, p. 1.
Notes on Mr. Layard's " Birds of South Africa." Ibis, 1868, p. 135

and p. 253.
Notes on a " Catalogue of the Accipitres in the British Museum," by

E. Bowdler Sharpe (1874). Ibis, 1875, p. 87, p. 221, p. 353, p. 468 ;

1876, p. 65, p. 230, p. 364, p. 467 ; 1877, p 209, p. 325, p. 418 ; 1878,

p. 84, p. 145, p. 352, p. 451 ; 1879, p. 71, p. 330, p. 464 ; 1880, p. 195,

p. 312, p. 462 ; 1881, p. 118, p. 271, p. 455, p. 547 ; 1882, p. 146,

p. 290, p. 436, p. 519.
A List of Birds collected at or near Mombasa, East Africa. Ibis

1881, p. 124.

A List of the Diurnal Birds of Prey. 8vo. London, 1884.

See Andersson, Birds of Damara Land.

Hahn (C. W.) und Kuster (H. C), Vogel aus Asien, Afrika, Amerika, und
NeuhoUand. Lief, i.-xx. 4to. Nurnberg, 1819-1850.

Hartert (E.), On a Httle-known Species of Lark of the Genus Otoconja.
Ibis, 1892, p. 522.

Hartlaub (G.), System der Ornithologie Westafrica's. 8vo. Bremen,
1857.

Monographische Uebersicht der Glanzstaare {Lamj^rotornWance),

Africa's. Journ. fur Ornith. 1859, p. 1.

On some new or little known Birds from the Cape Colony. Ibis, 1862

p. 143.

On a new Species of Salpornis from Eastern Equatorial Africa.

P. Z. S., 1884, p. 415.
See Decken (Baron C. C. von der).

BIBLIOGEAPHY OF SOUTH AFRICAN BIRDS XV„

Hbuglin (T. von), Systematische Uebersicht der Vogel Nord-Ost-Afrika's.
8vo. Wien, 1856.

Beitrage zur Ornithologie Nord-Ost-Afrika's. Journ. fur Ornith. 1861,

p. 417 ; 1862, p. 24 and p. 285 ; 1863, p. 3.

• Ornithologische Miscellen aus Central Africa. Journ. fur Ornith. 1864,

p. 241.

Synopsis der Vogel Nord-Ost-Afrikas. Journ. fur Ornith. 1867, p. 361 ;

1868, p. 1, p. 73, p. 216, p. 305 ; 1869, p. 1, p. 145.

Ornithologie Nord - Ost - Afrika's. 2 vols. Koyal 8vo. Cassel,

1869-74.
HiNDE (Dr. S. L.), On Birds observed near Machako's Station, in British

East Africa. Ibis, 1898, p. 576.
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Eoyal 8vo. Wien, 1882.

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terminis zoographicis utriusque classis. 8vo. Berolini, 1811.

Jackson (F. J.), On a Collection of Birds from Witu, British East Africa,

with notes by K. B. Sharpe. Ibis, 1898, p. 133.

• See Sharpe (E. B.) and Shelley (G. E.).

Jardine (Sir W.), Nectarinidse or Sun-Birds (Jardine's Nat. Library, Ornith.

vol. xiii.). 12mo. Edinburgh, 1843.

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1848-53.

and Selby (P. J.), Illustrations of Ornithology. 4 vols. 4to. Edin-

burgh, 1825-43.
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der europaischen Thierwelt, Theil I., welcher die Vogelsaugthiere
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Supplement. 4to. London, 1787.

XVI. BIBLIOGBAPHY OF SOUTH AFRICAN BIRDS

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Capitonidae or Scansorial Barbets. 4to. London, 1870-71.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY OP SOUTH AFRICAN BIRDS XVll.

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TrochilidcB and Nectariniidce. P. Z. S. 1896, p. 283.
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See Yarrell (W.).

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Pelzeln (A. von), see Holub (E.)

Peters (W.), Vorlaufige Mittheilung liber einige neue Vogelarten aus Mos-

sambique. Journ. fur Ornith. 1868, p. 131.
Phillips (E. Lort), Narrative of a Visit to Soraaliland in 1897, with Field -

notes on the Birds obtained durmg the Expedition. Ibis, 1898,

p. 382.

Keichenbach (A. B.), Praktische Naturgeschichte der Vogel. 2 vols.

8vo. Leipzig, 1845-50.
Keichenbach (H. G. L.), Synopsis Avium. 8vo. Dresden and Leipzig,

1851.

Die Singvogel als Fortsetzung der vollstandigsten Naturgeschichte

und zugleich als Central-Atlas fiir zoologische Garten und fiir

Thierfreunde. Text, 8vo. Atlas, 4to. Dresden and Leipzig, 1861.
Eeichenow (A.), Ueber eine Vogelsammlung aus Ostafrika. Journ. fiir

Ornith. 1889, p. 264.
Eeid (S. G.), see Butler (E. A.).
Eendall (Dr. P.), Notes on the Ornithology of the Barberton District of

the Transvaal. Ibis, 1896, p. 165.
EuppELL (E.), Atlas zu der Eeise im nordhchen Afrika. 4 vols. Folio.

Frankfurt-am-Main, 1826-28.

Neue Wirbelthiere zu der Fauna von Abyssinien gehorig, entdeckt und

beschrieben. 2 vols. Folio. Frankfurt-am-Main, 1835-40.

Systematische Uebersicht der Vogel Nord-ost-Afrika. Eoyal 8vo.

Frankfurt-am-Main, 1845.

XVlll. BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SOUTH AFRICAN BIRDS

Salt (H.), A Voyage to Abyssinia and Travels into the Interior of that

Country, executed in the years 1809-10. 4to. London, 1814. (Birds

by Lord Stanley, afterwards Earl of Derby.)
Salvin (0.), A Catalogue of the Collection of Birds formed by the late H.

E. Strickland. 8vo. Cambridge, 1882.
Saunders (H.), An Illustrated Manual of British Birds. 8vo. London,

1888-89.

Ditto. Second Edition. 8vo. London, 1897-99.

See Yarrell (W.).

ScHLEGEL (H.), Eevue Critique des Oiseaux d'Europe. 8vo. Leide, 1844.
ScLATKR (P. L.), On the Eapacious Birds collected by the late Dr. Dickenson
in the Zambesi Region. Ibis, 1864, p. 301.

Remarks on the Present State of the Systema Avium. Ibis, 1880,

p. 340.

See Jardine (Sir W.) and Shelley (G. E.).

ScLATER (W. L.), On a Collection of Birds from Inhambane, Portuguese

East Africa, with Field-notes by H. F. Francis. Ibis, 1899, p. 111.
On a Second Collection of Birds from Inhambane, Portuguese East

Africa, with Field-notes by H. F. Francis. Ibis, 1899, p. 283.
Seebohm (H.), Notes on the Birds of Natal and adjoining parts of South

Africa. Ibis, 1887, p. 336.
The Geographical Distribution of the Charadriidae ; or the Plovers,

Sandpipers, Snipes, and their Allies. 4to. London, n. d. (1888).
Sharpe (R. B.), A Monograph of the Alcedinidae, or Family of Kingfishers.

4to. London, 1868-71.

On the Kingfishers of South Africa. Ibis, 1869, p. 275.

On the Oriolidce of the Ethiopian Region. Ibis, 1870, p. 213.

Catalogue of African Birds in the Collection of R. Bowdler Sharpe.

8vo. London, 1871.
Notes on some African Birds. Ann. and Mag. Nat. -Hist. 4 Ser.

Vol. viii, p. 234 (1871).
On the Coraciidae of the Ethiopian Region. Ibis, 1871, p. 184 and

p. 270.
Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum. Vol. i, 1874 ; ii, 1875 ;

iii, 1877; iv, 1879; vi, 1881; vii, 1883; x, 1885; xii, 1888;

xiii, 1890; xvii (part), 1892; xxiii, 1894; xxiv, 1896; xxvi (part),

1898. 8vo. London, 1874-98.

On the Females of the Common and South-African Kestrels. P. Z. S.

1874, p. 580.

A Study of the Larks of Southern Africa. P. Z. S. 1874, p. 614.

Description of two new species of South African Birds. Ibis, 1876,

p. 52.

Note on Saxicola monticola. Ibis, 1883, p. 337.

A Review of Recent Attempts to Classify Birds. 8vo. London

and Buda-Pesth, 1891.

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SOUTH AFRICAN BIRDS XIX.

Sharpe (E.B.), On the Birds collected by Mr. F. J. Jackson, F.Z.S., during
his recent Expedition to Uganda through the Territory of the Imperial
British East African Company. Ibis, 1891, p. 233 and p. 587 ; 1892,
p. 152, p. 299, and p. 534.

On the Birds of Zululand, founded on the Collections made by Messrs.

E. B. and J. D. S. Woodward. With a Narrative of their Travels by
E. B. and J. D. S. Woodward. Ibis, 1897, p. 400.

and Wyatt (C. W.), A Monograph of the Hirundinidae, or Family of

Swallows. 2 vols. 4to. London, 1885-94.

See Layard's " Birds of South Africa." New Ed.

See Oates (F.) and Sowerby (J. L.).

Shaw (G.), General Zoology, or Systematic Natural History, continued by
J. F. Stephens. 14 vols. 8vo. London, 1800-26.

and NoDDER (F. P.), Vivarium Naturae, or the Naturalist's Miscellany.

24 vols. 8vo. London, 1790-1813.

Shelley (G. E.), A Handbook to the Birds of Egypt. Eoyal 8vo. London,
1872.

Three Months on the Coast of South Africa. Ibis, 1875, p. 59.

A Monograph of the Nectariniidse, or Family of Sun-birds. 4to.

London, 1876-80.
List of Birds recently collected by Dr. Kirk in Eastern Africa.

P. Z. S., 1881, p. 561.
On a collection of Birds made by Mr. J. S. Jameson in South-Eastern

Africa, with notes by T. Ayres. Ibis, 1882, p. 236 and p. 349.

List of the Birds sent home by Mr. Joseph Thomson from the Eiver

Eovuma, East Africa. P. Z. S. 1882, p. 302.
A Second List of Birds recently collected by Sir John Kirk in Eastern

Africa. P. Z .S. 1882, p. 304.
On some new Species of Birds from South Africa. P. Z. S. 1882, p.

336.

On the Columbidae of the Ethiopian Eegion. Ibis, 1883, p. 258.

On five new or little-known Species of East-African Birds, represented

in Mr. H. H. Johnston's First Collection from Kilima-njaro District.

P. Z. S. 1884, p. 554.
On Mr. E. Lort Phillips's Collection of Birds from Somaliland.

Ibis, 1885, p. 389.
On the Collection of Birds made by Mr. H. H. Johnston in the

Kilima-njaro District, with Field-notes by Mr. H. H. Johnston.

P. Z. S. 1885, p. 222.
A Eeview of the Species of the Family Ploceidae of the Ethiopian

Eegion. Ibis, 1886 ; p. 301 ; 1887, p. 1.

On the Hornbills of the Ethiopian Eegion. Ibis, 1888, p. 47.

List of Birds collected in Eastern Africa by Mr. F. J. Jackson. With

Notes and an Introduction by the Collector. Ibis, 1888, p. 287.

On the Birds collected by Mr. H. C. V. Hunter, F.Z.S., in Eastern

Africa. P. Z. S. p. 356.

XX. BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SOUTH AFRICAN BIRDS

Shelley (G. E.), Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum. Vol. xix
(Part). 8vo. London, 1891.

Description of some new Species of African Birds. Bull. B. 0. C.

vol. i, p. 5, 1892.

List of Birds collected by Mr. Alexander Whyte in Nyasaland, with a

Preface by P. L. Sclater. Ibis, 1893, p. 1 ; 1894, p. 1 and p. 461.

The Birds of Africa. Vol. i. Imp. 8vo. London, 1896.

On a Collection of Birds from Chiradzulu, in the Shire Highlands,

Nyasaland, With Prefatory Eemarks by P. L. Sclater. Ibis, 1896,
p. 177.

On a Collection of Birds made by Mr. Alfred Sharpe in the Zomba

District of Nyasaland. Ibis, 1896, p. 229.

On the Birds collected by Mr. Alexander Whyte duiing his Expedition

to the Nyika Plateau in N. Nyasaland. Ibis, 1897, p. 518.

On the final Collections of Birds made by Mr, Alexander Whyte in

Nyasaland. With Prefatory Eemarks by P. L. Sclater, Ibis, 1898,
p. 376.

A List of Birds collected by Mr. Alfred Sharpe, in Nyasaland. With

Prefatory Eemarks by P, L. Sclater. Ibis, 1898, p, 551,
Smith (A,), A Description of the Birds inhabiting the South of Africa, S.

African Quart. Journ. i, pp. 9, 105, 225, 380 (1829-30) ; vol. ii, pp.

249, 273, 305 (1834-35),
Exhibition of some South African Birds and description of Critliagra

albogularis. S. African Quart. Journ. vol. ii, p. 48, 1833.

Exhibition and descriptions of the following Birds from South

Africa; TricJwplioi'us jiaviventris, Halycon siuainsonii, H. senegal-
oides, Edolius ludivigii, Lamprotornis rufiventris. S. African
Quart. Journ. ii, p. 143 (1834),

Eeport of the Expedition for exploring Central Africa, from the Cape

of Good Hope. Appendix, containing descriptions of the New
Species of Animals collected. 8vo. Cape Town, 1836,

Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa. Vol, ii. Aves, 4to.

London, 1838-49.
SowERBY (J. L,), On a Collection of Birds from Fort Chiquaqua, Mashona-

land, with notes by E, B, Sharpe, Ibis, 1898, p. 567.
Sparrman (A.), Museum Carlsonianum, in quo Novas et Selectas Aves.

Facs, i.-iv. in 2 vols. Folio, Holmiae, 1786-89,
Stanley, see Salt (H.).
Strickland (H. E.), Descriptions of several new or imperfectly- defined

Genera and Species of Birds. Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. xiii,

p. 409, (1844.)

and Sclater (P. L.), List of a Collection of Birds procured by C. J.

Andersson in the Damara Country, with notes. 8vo. London, 1852.
(Jardine's Contrib. to Ornithology, 1852.)

See Jardine (Sir W.) and Salvin (O.).

BIBLIOGBAPHY OF SOUTH AFRICAN BIRDS

XXI

SuNDEVALL (C. J.), Ornithologiskt System. K. Vet.-Akad. Handl., Stock
holm, 1835, p. 43 (1836).

Kritisk framstallning af fogelarterna uti aldre ornithologiska, arbeten

(1) Museum Carlsonianum. (2) Le Vaillant, Oiseaux d'Afrique, K
Svensk. Vetensk.-Ak. Handl. Stockholm, N. S., No. 3, 1857.

Method! Naturalis Avium disponendarum Tentamen. 8vo. Stock

holm, 1872.
SwAiNSON (W.), On the Natural History and Classification of Birds. 2 vols

12mo. London, 1836-37. (Lardner's Encyclopaedia.)
Natural History of the Birds of Western Africa. 2 vols. 12mo

Edinburgh, 1837. Jardine's Nat. Libr. (Ornith.), vols, vii and viii.

Animals in Menageries. 12mo. London, 1838. (Lardner's Cyclo

paedia.)
Symonds (E.), Notes on a Collection of Birds from Kroonstad in the Orange
Free State. Ibis, 1887, p. 324.

Temminck (C. J.), Manuel d' Ornithologie. Seconde edition. 4 vols. 8vo.

Paris, 1820-40.
et Meiffren Laugier (Baron de Chaktrouse), Nouveau Recueil de

Planches coloriees d'Oiseaux. 5 vols. Imp. 4to. Paris, 1820-39.
Trimen (R), On an andescribed Laniarius from the Interior of Southern

Africa. P. Z. S. 1880, p. 623.
On an apparently undescribed Sun-Bird from Tropical South- Western

Africa. P. Z. S. 1882, p. 451.
Tristram (H. B.), Notes on some new South-African Sylviidse. Ibis, 1869,

p. 204.

Notes on some African Birds. Ibis, 1869, p. 434.

Letter from, containing remarks upon his type specimen of Megalo-

plionus anderssoni. Ibis, 1870, p. 444.
Description of a new species of Finch of the Genus Critliagra from

South-East Africa. Ibis, 1895, p. 129.

ViELLOT (L. P.), Analyse d'une nouvelle Ornithologie Elementaire. 8vo.

Paris, 1816.

See NouvEAU Dictionnairb.

Verreaux (J.), Description d'une Espece nouvelle de Promerops. P. Z. S.

1871, p. 135.
ViCTORiN (J. F.), see Grill (J. W.)
Vigors (N. A.), On a Collection of African Birds. P. Z. S. 1831, p. 92.

Wagler (J.), Systema Avium. Pars prima. 12mo. Stuttgartise and

Tubingse, 1827.
Wahlberg (J. a.), Nya fogelarter fran Damaralandet i sodra Afrika.

(Efvers Stockhohii, xii. (1855), p. 213.
Neue siidafrikanische Vogel. Journ. fur Ornith. 1857, p. 1.

XXll. BIBLIOGKAPHY OF SOUTH AFRICAN BIEDS

Waterhouse (G. R.), see Alexander (Sir J. E.). .

Woodward (R. B. and J. D. S.), Further Notes on the Bkds of Znluland.

Ibis, 1898, p. 216.
Natal Birds, inckiding the Species belonging to Natal and the Eastern

Districts of Cape Colony. 8vo. Pietermaritzburg, 1899.

See Sharpe (R. B.).

Wyatt (C. W.), see Sharpe (R. B.)

Yarrell (W.), a History of British Birds. Fourth Ed. Edited by A.
Newton and H. Saunders. 4 vols. 8vo. London, 1871-85.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

Diagram of a Starling, Spreo bicolor ix.

Under surface of the wing of a Cuckoo Shrike , x.

Diagram of foot, Corvus corax 4

Base of skull of Corvultur albicollis 5

Skull of Corvultur albicollis 10

Bill of Corvus scapulatus 13

„ ,, ,, cajoensis 15

'H.eBid oi Buphag a e7'ythrorhy7icha 17

DilopJms carunculatus (old male in breeding plumage) 23

Amydrus morio 27

S]oreo bicolor 30

Lamp'ocolius ijhcenicopterus 35

,, acuticaudus 37

and tail of Pholidaicges verreauxi 44

of Oriolus larvatus 48

,, HypJiantornis spilonotus 65

,, ,, velatus 56

Nest ,, ,, subaureus 64

Head of Sitacjra ocularia 66

,, ,, Sycobrotus bicolor 72

,, ,, Anaplectes rtibriceps 74

Nests of the Buffalo, the Spotted, and Eed-headed Weaver Birds 76

Head and wing of Textor iiiger 79

oi Amblyospiza albifrons, $ ,.. 81

,, Ploceipasser mahali 83

,, Sporopipes squamifrons 86

,, Pytelia malba 90

,, Lagonosticta rubricata 92

,, Estrilda angolensis 102

,, Or tygospiza poly zona 109

,, Spermestes fringilloides Ill

XXIV.

LIST OF ILLUSTBATIONS

Hesiid oi PhiletcBrus socms 114

Nesfc of Social Weaver Birds 117

Head of Amadma erythrocejpliala 119

,, ,, Quelea quelea, ^ 122

,, ,, Pyro7nelana capensis 7ninor 125

Pyromelana taha. Male in summer 129

Head and tail of Urobrachya axillaris, ^ 131

,, of Coliopasser ardens 137

Coliopasser procne. Male in breeding dress 140

Head of Vidua principalis 146

,, ,, paradisea 151

,, Hypochera funerea, ^ 153

,, Petronia petronella 157

,, Passer arcuatus, ^ 160

,, Poliospiza gularis 165

,, Serinus flaviventris ? 167

,, ,, alhigularis 175

,, Alar io alar io 179

,, Clirysomitru totta 181

,, Emberiza flaviventris 185

,, Fringillaria capensis 188

and foot of Pyrrhulauda australis 194

,, ,, ,, Ammo7yianes ferruginea 200

,, ,, ,, Calendula crassirostris 201

,, ,, ,, Galerita 7nodesta 203

foot, and wing of Mirafra chenia^ia 205

and foot of Mirafra africana 213

,, Spizocorys conirostris 220

,, Tephrocorys cinerea 222

,, Otocorys alpestris 225

,, Heterocorys brevkmguis 227

,, Alcemon semitorquata 229

,, Certhilauda capensis 233

,, Macronyx croceus 237

,, Anthus arboreus 242

Head, foot, and v^ing of Ayitlius crenatus 246

,, ,, Motacilla flava 254

,, ,, ,, lojigicauda 254

, , , , Salponiis spilonotus salvadorii 265

,, ,, Promerops cafer 269

Promerops cafer, male "showing off" 272

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS XXV.

Bill of Ajithothreptes collaris (magnified), to show the serrations 274

Head of Nectarinia famosa 276

,, ,, Cinnyris gutturalis 278

Tail of Ayithohaphes violacea ^ 294

Head and nest of Anthohaphes violacea 295

Head of Anthothreptes collaris 297

,, ,, Zosterops capensis 300

,, foot, and wing of Pants a/er 305

,, y^mg, B>ndiTiQ^\i oi ^githalus capensis .. 3i0

SYSTEMATIC INDEX.

PAGE

Order PASSERES 3

Family I. Corvid^ 9

Genus I. Corvultur, Less 9

1. albicollis (La^/i.) 10

Genus II. Covxns, Linn 12

2. scapulatus, Daiod 12

3. capensis, Licht 14

Family II. Sturnid^ 16

Subfamily I. BuphagincE 16

Genus I. Buphaga, Linn 16

4. africana, Lijin 17

5. erythrorhyncha (Ston.) 20

Subfamily II. Sturnince. 21

Genus I. Dilophus, yieiZi 22

6. carunculatus ((jW.) 23

Genus II. Amydrus, Cab 26

7. morio [Linn. ) 26

8. cafter (Lwm.) 28

Genus III. Spreo, Less 29

9. bicolor (Gm.) 30

Genus IV. Lamprotornis, Termn. ... 31

10. mevesi (TFa7iZ6.) 32

11. purpureus (J5oc.) 33

Genus V. Lamprocolius, Sund 34

12. australis {Smith) 35

13. acuticaudus, JBocagfe 37

14. phoenicopterus ((Swains.) 38

15. ,, bispecularis
(Strickl) 39

16. chloropterus (Swains.) 40

17. sycobius {Licht.) 41

18. melanogaster {Swains. ) 42

Genus VI. Pholidauges, Cab 43

19. leucogaster verreauxi, Boc. ... 44

PAGE

Family III. Oriolid^ ." 4

Genus I. Oriolus, Lmw 47

20. galbula, Limi 48

21. notatus, Peters 50

22. larvatus, Licht 51

Family IV. Vloc^idje 53

Subfamily I. Ploceince 54

Genus I. Hyphantornis, Gray 55

23. nigriceps, Layard 56

24. cabanisi, Peters 57

25. wel&tns {Vieill.) 58

26. spilouotus ( Vigors) 60

27. shelleyi, Sharpe 62

28. subaureus ( Smith) 63

29. jamesoni, Sharpe 65

Genus II. Sitagra, Eetc/t6 66

30. ocularia {Smith) 66

31. xanthoptera, Finsch. & Hartl. 68

32. capensis [Linn.) 69

33. ,, CQ&m {Licht.) 70

Genus III. Sycobrotus, Ca6 71

34. hicolov {Vieill.) 72

35. stictifrons {Fisch. d Reichenb.) 73
Genus IV. Anaplectes, Eeic/ien&. ... 74

36. rubriceps (Swn^.) 74

37. gnrneji {Shelley) 76

38. angolensis (Boc.) 77

Genus V. Textor, Temm 78

39. niger (iSmi^/i) 78

Genus VI. Amblyospiza, Sund 80

40. albif rons ( Vigors) 80

Genus VII. Ploceipasser, 6'wt^/t 82

41. mahali, Smith 83

42. rufoscapulatus, Biltt 85

43. pectoralis, Peters 85

Genus VIII. Sporopipes, (7a& 86

44. squamifrons {Smith) 86

XXVI 11.

SYSTEMATIC INDEX

PAGE

Subfamily II. EstrildincR 88

Genus I. Pytelia, iSz^ains 89

45. melba (Lmii.) 89

46. nitidula (Har/Z.) 91

Genus II. Lagonosticta, Oa6 91

47. rubricata {Licht. ) 92

48. jamesoni, Shelley 93

49. hvanniceTps, Sharpe 94

50. niveoguttata (Peifers) 95

51. margaritata {Strickl.) 96

Genus III. Estrilda, >S«;aws 97

52. astrilda [Linn.) 98

53. erythronota ("FteiZZ.) 100

54. incana {Sund.) 101

55. angolensis (Lmw.) 102

56. granatina {Linn.) 104

57. subflava (FieiZZ.) 105

58. dniresnii {Vieill) 107

Genus IV. Ortygospiza, Sund 108

59. ipoljzona, {Temm.) 109

Genus V. Spermestes, Swains 110

60. f ringilloides (La/r.) Ill

61. scutatus (fle«(/Z.) 112

62. nigriceps, Cass 113

Genus VI. Fhilets&vns {Smith) 114

63. socivLS {Lath.) 115

Genus VII. Amadina, Sioains 118

64. erytlirocephala (Lmw.) 118

Subfamily III. Viduince 120

Genus I. Quelea, Reichenb 121

65. quelea {Linn.) 122

66. quelea russi {Finsch) 124

Genus II. Pyromelana, Bp 125

67. oryx {Linn.) 126

68. taha (Swi^Ti) 128

69. capensis (Lijm.) 130

70. csb^pen&is minor {Reichenb.) ... 132

71. capensis xanthomelsena

{Rupp-) 133

Genus III. Urobrachya, Bp 133

72. axillaris (Sm^^7^) 134

73. bocagi, Sharpe 136

Genus IV. Coliopasser (iJ/Z^rp.) 136

74. albonotatus {Cass.) , 138

75. procne {Bodd.) 139

76. ardens {Bodd.) 142

Genus V. Vidua, Cwwer 143

77. principalis (L inn. ) 145

PAGK

78. regia (Lin^i.) 148

79. paradisea (Z/iMW.) 149

Genus VI. Hypocbera, Bp 152

80. funerea {De Tarragon.) 153

81. ,, nigerrima, Sharpe ... 154

82. ,, amauroptera {Shelley) 154

Family V. Fringillid^ 155

Subfamily I. Fringillinoi 156

Genus I. Petronia, Kaup 157

83. petronella {LicM.) 157

Genus II. Fasser, Brisson 159

84. arcuatus {Gm.) 160

85. motitensis, Smith 162

86. diffusus, Smith 163

Genus III. Poliospiza, Sj; 164

87. gnl&ris {Sinith) 165

Genus IV. Serinus, Koch 466

88. canicollis {Sioains.) 168

89. sulpburatus {Linn. ) . . 169

90. flaviventris {Siuains) 170

91. imberbis (C«6.) 172

92. rendalli (Tm^r.) 172

93. icterus {Bonn, et Vieill.) 173

94. albigularis {Smith) 174

95. crocopygius («S7iar/;<3) 176

96. leucopterus {Sharpe) 177

97. scotops (5wnfZ.) 177

98. angolensis (Gwi.) 178

Genus V. Alario, Bp 179

99. alario (Limi.) 179

Genus VI. Chrysomitris, ^oic 181

100. totta 182

Subfamily II. Einberizince 183

Genus I. Emberiza, Briss 183

101. flaviventris {Vieill.) 184

102. major orientalis (/S/ieZZe?/) ... 186
Genus II. Fringillaria, Swains 187

103. capensis (Lwrn.) 187

104. tabapisi ( Smith) 189

105. impetuani {Smith) 190

Family VI. ALAUDiD.gi: 191

Genus I. Pyrrhulauda, Smith 193

106. australis (<S^wiZ7i) 194

107. verticalis (SmZ/i) 195

108. smithi, ^?/rcs 196

SYSTEMATIC INDEX

XXIX.

PAGE

Genus II. Ammomanes, Cah 197

109. grayi (T7a/iZ6.) 198

110. erythrochlamys (Strickl.) ... 199

111. iervnginesb (Smith) 200

Genus III. Calendula, Swains 201

112. crassirostris (FiefZZ.) 202

Genus IV. Galerita, Bole 203

113. laodiestsL, Heicgl 204

Genus V. Mirafra, Hors field 204

114. nigricans (5wnd) 207

115. sabota, Smith 208

116. nsevia (Strickl.) 209

117. africanoides, Smith 210

118. damarensis, Sharpe 211

119. africana, Smith 212

120. fringillaris, Sund 214

121. cheniana, Smith 215

122. fischeri (Reichenoiv) 216

123. apiata (FieiZZ.) 217

124. rufipilea (Ftei7Z.) 218

•Genus VI. Si^izocorys,, Sund 219

125. conirostris (Sund.) 220

Genus VII. TepKrocorys, Sharpe . . . 221

126. cinei-ea (C/m.) 222

127. spleniata (S'^ricA^Z.) 223

128. anderssoni [Tristr.) 224

Genus VIII. Otocorys, ^B^j 225

129. hevle^fichi, Hartert 226

Genus IX. Heterocorys, ^S/iar^e 226

130. breviunguis (S'^md) 227

Genus X. Alsemon, Keyserl. und

Bias 228

131. semitorquata (S'mi^/i) 228

132. nivosa (Sivains.) 230

Genus XI. Certhilauda, Swains. . . . 232

133. capensis (Boi^.) 233

134. rufula (FieiZZ.) 234

Family VII. Motacillid^ 235

Genus I. Macronyx, Swains 236

135. capensis [Linn.) 238

136. croceus (FmZZ.) 239

137. amelise, De Tarragon 240

Genus II. Anthus, Bechst 242

138. chloris, Licht 243

139. lineiventris, Sund 245

140. crenatus, Finsch. und Hartl. 245

141. trivialis (Lmw.) 247

142. brachyurus, Sund 248

143. nicholsom, Sharpe .. 249

PAGE

144. pyrrhonotus [Vieill.) 250

145. rufulus, Vieill 251

146. bocagii, Nicholson 252

Genus III. Motacilla, Lmn 253

147. vidua, Sund 255

148. longicauda, Bilpp 257

149. capensis, Linn 259

150. campestris, Pall 260

151. flava, Linn 261

152. flava borealis, Sund 263

153. melanocephala, Licht 263

Family VIII. Ceethiid^ 264

Genus I. Salpornis, Oroy 264

154. spilonotus salvadorii [Boc.) 266

Family IX. Peomeropid^ 268

Genus I. Promerops, SrJss 268

155. cafer (Li7i7t.) 269

156. gurneyi (J. Verr.) 273

Family X. Nectariniid^ 274

Genus I. Nectarinia, JZ%er 275

157. famosa (Lwm.) 276

Genus II. Cinnyris, Czmer 278

158. mariquensis, Smith 279

159. leucogaster, Vieill 281

160. afer(Lmri.) 282

161. ludovicensis, Boc 284

162. chalybeus (Lmw.) 284

163. gutturalis (Lmw.) 286

164. amethystinus [Shaw) 287

165. ,, bradshawi,
Sharpe 289

166. kirki, Shelley 289

167. fuscus, Vieill 290

168. verreauxi, Smith 291

169. olivaceus, Smith 292

Genus III. Anthobaphes, Ca& 293

170. violacea (Linn.) 293

Genus IV. Anthothreptes, Swains. 296

171. collaris (FieiZZ.) 297

172. collaris hypodilus (JarcZ.) ... 298

Family XI. Zosteropid^ 298

Genus I. Zosterops, Vigors and Hens-
field 299

XXX,

SYSTEMATIC INDEX

PAGE

173. anderssoni, Shelley 300

174. virens, Bp 301

175. pallida, Sivains 302

176. capensis, Sund 302

Family XII. Parid^ 304

Genus I. Parus, Linn 304

PAGE

177. afer, Gm 305

178. pallidiventris, Tteichenow ... 307

179. niger, Bonn, et Vieill 307

180. niger xanthostomus, Shelley 308
Genus II. ^githalus, ^oie 309

181. capensis (Gm.) 310

182. caroli, Sharpe 312

THE FAUNA OF

SOUTH AFRICA.

AYES.

Birds are warm-blooded vertebrate animals with an external
covering of feathers. They possess a four-chambered heart and a
complete double circulation, and have a single aortic arch on the
right side. The anterior pair of limbs are modified to form wings.
The bones of the skull join at an early period to form a continuous
brain-case which articulates with the vertebral column by a single
occipital condyle. The mandible or lower jaw articulates with the
skull on each side through the medium of a small bone, the quadrate.
The prcemaxilla and portions of the maxillcB are prolonged anteriorly
and covered by a horny sheath to form the maxilla, upper mandible,
or superior half of the bill or beak ; the mandibular portion or lower
mandible is formed by a prolongation of the dentary bones of the
mandible. No existing birds have teeth, but many extinct forms
were well provided in this respect, and the germs are still to be
found in the embryonic Penguin. The bones of the great majority
of birds are to a large extent hollow, and capable of being filled with
warm air from the lungs through the medium of a series of inter-
vening air-sacs. All birds are oviparous.

The one point which distinguishes birds from all other existing
animals is their covering of feathers. These are used as a means
of flight, as a protection to the body, or as ornaments. Excepting
in a few instances, as in the Penguins and Ostriches, the contour
or body feathers grow from certain definite tracts, called pterylce,
separated by intervening spaces, either bare or only covered with
down, but overlapped by the feathers on each side, and known as
aptericB. The arrangement and extent of the feathered tracts varies
in different groups of birds and is of considerable importance in
indicating their afiinities.
1

CLASSIFICATION.

In the arrangement of the higher groups or orders of South
African birds, I follow the classification proposed by Dr. P. L.
Sclater in a paper contributed to the Ibis for 1880, " On the present
state of the Systema Avium," as follows : —

Class AYES.
Subclass CAKINAT^ (with a keeled Sternum).

Order I. Passeres (Crows, Starlings, Orioles, Weaver Birds,
Finches, Larks, Wagtails, Creepers, Sunbirds,
Tits, Shrikes, Warblers, Thrushes, Flycatchers,
Cuckoo- Shrikes, Drongos, Swallows.
II. Picariae (Woodpeckers, Barbets, Honey Guides,
Trogons, Colies, Kingfishers, Bee-eaters, Eollers,
Hornbills, Hoopoes, Swifts, Nightjars, Cuckoos,
Plaintain Eaters).
III. Psittaci (Parrots).
IV. Striges (Owls).
V. Accipitres (Falcons, Kites, Buzzards, Eagles,

Hawks, Vultures, Secretary Bird).
VI. Steganopodes (Frigate Birds, Pelicans, Cormorants,

Darters, Gannets, Tropic Birds).
VII. Herodiones (Herons, Storks, Ibises).
VIII. Odontoglossae (Flamingoes).
IX. Anseres (Geese, Ducks).
X. Columbse (Pigeons, Doves).
XI. Pterocletes (Sand Grouse).
XII. Gallinse (Game Birds, Guinea Fowl, Francolins,
Quails).

XIII. Hemipodii (Three-toed or Button Quails).

XIV. Fulicarise (Coots, Moorhens, Eails, Finfoot).
XV. Alectorides (Cranes and Bustards).

PASSERES 3

XVI. Limicolae (Thickheads, Coursers, Plovers, Sandpipers,

Snipe, Ja9anas).
XVII. GaYisB (Skuas, Gulls, Terns).
XVIII. Tubinares (Albatrosses, Shearwaters, Petrels).
XIX. Pygopodes (Divers, Grebes).
XX. Impennes (Penguins).

Subclass RATIT^ (Sternum without a keel).
XXI. Struthiones (Ostriches).

Order I. PASSERES.

About six thousand, or one half the existing species of birds, are
included in the Passeres or " Perching Birds."

A Passerine Bird is distinguished by a combination of several
characters, no one of which will alone define it.

I. — Each foot has four toes (except in Cholornis, in which the
outer toe is reduced to a stump), the 1st, or hind toe, directed
backwards ; the 2nd, 3rd and 4th forwards. The 2nd toe is
always the innermost. All four toes are on a level, the hind toe
not raised above the others, and are never connected by web or
membrane beyond the first joint. Owing to a peculiar arrange-
ment of the plantar tendons connecting the muscles of the leg with
the toes, the hind toe is capable of being moved independently
of the front toes. The tendon of the flexor longus hallucis, which is
inserted into the hind-toe, crosses the tendon of the flexor perforans
digitorum, which splits up to supply the front toes, at the back of
the tarso-vietatarsus, but without becoming connected with it, so that
the contraction of either muscle controls the movement of the hind
or front toes only, as the case may be. This " schizopelmous "
arrangement of the plantar tendons is found in all Passerine Birds,
excluding the family of Oriental Broadbills {Eurylcemidce) ; but it
also obtains in the Hoopoes (Upicpidce), among the Picarice (see
figure, p. 4).

II. — The palate is cegithognatous , i.e., the maxillo -palatine bones
are separated from one another and from the vomer by an interval ;
the vomer is truncated in front and cleft behind so as to embrace
the rostrum of the basisphenoid (see figure, p. 5). This arrangement
of the palate-bones is however not exclusively passerine ; it exists
also in the Cypselidce (Swifts) and Picidce (Woodpeckers) among
the Picarise.

PASSEEES

III. — A certain arrangement of the wing-muscles is peculiar
to the majority of the Passeres, but not to all, and is not found in
other orders. The distal tendon of the tensor petagii brevis, a
muscle that runs parallel to the humerus, from the shoulder to

Foot, from behind, of European Raven {Corvus corax), showing the Passerine
or schizopelmoiis arrangement of the deep plantar tendons, which cross without
being connected, and their separate action. (Dissected and drawn by H.
Gronvold.)

a, flexor longus halliicis ; b, flexor perforans digitorum.

its insertion into the fascia and muscles of the forearm, retains its
independence after its junction with the extensor metacarpi radialis
longus, and turns back to be inserted into the external condyle of
the humerus, close to the point of origin of the latter muscle.

PASSERES O

IV. — In Passerine birds the oil gland is nude. Caeca are
present, though small. The atlas is perforated by the odontoid
process (Beddard). The young are hatched naked and helpless.

V. — The Syrinx, the vocal organ of birds, attains its highest
development among the Passeres. In accordance with the number,

-rnocfD.

Base of skull of Corvultur albicollis (White-necked Raven), showing an
(Bgitlwgnathous arrangement of the palate-bones.

vo., vomer; 7nxp., niaxillo-jpalatine ; lac, lacrymal; pa. , palatine ; sph.r.,
rostrum of sphenoid ; b.sph., hasi-sphenoid ; ptg., pterygoid ; q., quadrate.

arrangement and attachment of its muscles the Order is sub-divided
into : —

(1) The Acromyodi. — With the intrinsic muscles of the syrinx
inserted into the ends of the bronchial semi-rings.

6 PASSERES OSCINES

(2) The Mesoviyodi. — With the intrinsic muscles inserted into
the middle of the bronchial semi-rings.

The Mesomyodi are not represented in South Africa, and need
not further concern us.

The Acromyodi are again sub-divided into the : —

(i.) Normales or Oscines, with from four to seven pairs of
intrinsic syringeal muscles.

(ii.) Ahiiormales or Sicboscines, containing only the Australian
MemcridcB (Lyre Birds) with three pairs of muscles, and Atrichiidce
(Scrub Birds) with two pairs only.

PASSERES. {Osoines.)

Probably no two ornithologists are in complete accordance with
regard to the subdivisions of the Oscines.

In subdividing the South African Oscines into the following
twenty families I follow to a large extent the classification proposed
by Dr. Sharpe in a paper read before the Second Ornithological
Congress at Buda Pest in 1891, on " Eecent Attempts to Classify
Birds."

Families of OSCINES.

I. CorvidcB (Crows).

II. SturnidcB (Starlings and Ox-peckers).

III. Oriolidw (Orioles).

IV. Ploceidm (Weaver Birds, Waxbills, Bishop Birds).
V. FrmgillidcB (Finches and Buntings).

VI. Alaudidce (Larks).
VII. MotacillidcB (Longclaws, Pipits, Wagtails).
VIII. Certhiidce (Creepers).
IX. PromcrojndcB (Long- tailed Sugar Birds).

X. NectariniidcB (Sunbirds).
XI. ZosteropidcB (White-eyes).
XII. ParidcB (Tits).
XIII. Laniidce (Shrikes, Bush Shrikes).
XIV. CrateropodidcB (Babblers, Bulbuls).
XV. SylviidcB (Warblers).

XVI. TurdidcB (Thrushes, Chats, Eobin-Chats).
XVII. MuscicapidcB (Flycatchers).

PASSEEES OSCINES 7

XVIII. Dicruridce (Drongos or Fork-tails).
XIX. Campophagidce (Cuckoo- Shrikes).
XX. Hirundinidce (Swallows).

Key to the Families of South African Passeres

(Not arranged in their proper sequence, and applicable to South
African species only).

In drawing up the following scheme I have followed Mr. Gates
in making use of the plumage of the young for diagnostic purposes.

a. Tarsus scutellated both anteriorly and pos-
teriorly, the posterior aspect rounded Alaudidce, vol. i.

h. Tarsus covered laterally with two entire longi-
tudinal plates which meet in a ridge pos-
teriorly.
a^. Tongue tubular ; the edges of both mandi-
bles minutely serrated for their anterior

third or half Nectariniidce, vol. i.

h^. Tongue semi-tubular, or with the sides or
tips frayed out ; bill not serrated.
a^. With ten primaries; tail very long and

much graduated ; no white eye-ring Promero^pidcB, vol, i.

h^. With nine primaries (the outer being very
minute) ; tail rather short and square ; a

conspicuous white eye-ring Zosteropidce, vol. i.

c^. Tongue not tubular nor semi-tubular.

c\ With only nine easily visible primaries,
the two outer nearly equal.
a\ Bill long, slender and notched ; the
secondaries as long or nearly as long

as the primaries Motacillidce, \o\. i.

b^. Bill short, broad, flat, notched and
deeply cleft ; the secondaries reaching

the middle of the wing Hirundinidce, vol. ii.

c^. Bill deep and conical ; the secondaries
reaching halfway between the middle

and end of wing Fringillidce, vol. i.

d^. With ten primary wing-quills, the outer
short but easily seen.
d^. The culmen prolonged backwards to a
point among the frontal feathers ; the
nostrils within or near the line of the
forehead and nearer the culmen than
the cutting edge of the upper mandible Ploceidce, vol. i.

PASSERES OSCINES

5*. The culmen not prolonged backwards
beyond the edge of the frontal feathers ;
the nostrils outside the line of fore-
head and not nearer the culmen than
to the edge of upper mandible.
a;\ Plumage of young like that of adult
female, but paler.
a^. Nostrils completely overhung and
concealed by plumes and bristles
directed forwards.
a'. Size large, wing over 12-00 (in
South African species) ; colour

black or black and white Corvidce, vol. i.

6^ Size small, wing less than 3-50 Paridce, vol. i.
fe". Nostrils nearly bare, overhung by
a few hairs or bristles only.

c^. Without rictal bristles CertJiiidcE, vol. i.

d''. With rictal bristles Cratero])odidcB, vol. ii.

6\ Plumage of young like that of adult
female, but brighter ; tail feathers

ten or twelve SijlviidcE, vol. ii.

c*. Plumage of young spotted above and
below ; with twelve tail feathers,
c^. Nostrils not overhung by hairs ... Turdidce, vol. ii.

d^. Nostrils overhung by hairs Muscicajndce, vol. ii.

d^. Plumage of young spotted below, of
adults entirely black, tail of ten

feathers, forked or nearly square ... Dicr uridce, \ol. ii,
e\ Plumage of young cross-barred below,
in many cases resembling in this
respect that of the adult female ; tail
with twelve feathers,
e^. Rump-feathers with spinous stif-
fened shafts Cainpojihagidce , vol. i.

/^. Rump-feathers without spinous

shafts Laniidcs, vol. ii.

/•\ Plumage of young streaked.

g^. With rictal bristles ; plumage

yellow and black Oriolidce, vol. i.

h^. Without rictal bristles, plumage

not yellow and black Sturnidce, vol. i.

CORVIDiE CORVULTUR U

Family I. CORVID^.

Bill stout and strong ; the culmen arched ; the sides com-
pressed; the edges of both mandibles smooth. Nostrils partially
or entirely concealed by bristles or narrow stiffened feathers directed
forwards. Wings with ten primaries, the outer, or first, about half
the length of the second ; the four outermost with their inner edges
sinuated. Tail of twelve feathers. Tarsi scutellated anteriorly,
posteriorly and laterally covered with two entire plates which are
separated from one another and from the anterior scutes by narrow
intervals which are reticulated. Feet large and strong ; the basal
joint of the middle toe united to the lateral toes by membrane.
Size large. Sexes alike in plumage ; that of the young like that of
the adults but paler. Only one moult in the year, in autumn.

This family comprises the well known Crows, Jays, Magpies,
and Choughs. The various species are of world-wide distribution,
but only three occur in South Africa.

Key to the Genera.

a. Bill very deep, the depth exceeding the length of the outer

toe ; nostrils in a very deep groove ; tail short and much

graduated Corvultur.

b. Bill stout, but much less so than in Corvultur, the depth

less than the length of outer toe ; nostrils in a less

defined groove; tail longer and not much graduated Corvus.

Genus I. CORYULTUR.

Type.
Corvultur, Lesson, Traite Orii. p. 327 (1831) L. albicollis.

Bill very deep, the depth exceeding the length of the outer toe,
and compressed ; the culmen much arched ; nostrils oval, at the
bottom of a deep groove ; the nasal bristles long. Tarsus robust
and strongly scutellated, about equal to the culmen in length.
Tail short, less than half the length of the wing, and much
graduated.

This genus contains two species only, C. albicollis, confined to
South and East Africa, and the larger C. crassirostris^ a native of
Abyssinia and North-east Africa.

In their habits these birds resemble the larger Crows and
Eavens.

10

CORVID^

CORVULTUR

1. Corvultur albicoUis. WJiite-neclced Baveji.

Corvus albicoUis, Lath. Ind. Orn. p. 151 (1790) ; Layard, B. S. Afr.
p. 167 (1867).

Le Corbivau, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. ii, p. 5, pi. 50 (1799).

Corvultur albicoUis, Less. Traite d'Orn. p. 327 (1831); Gurney, in
Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 153 (1872) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. iii,
p. 24 (1877) ; id. ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 417 (1884) ; Holub and
Pelzeln, Orn. Sildafr. p. 105 (1882) ; Shelley, B: Afr. i, p. 46 (1896).

" Eing-hals " (Ring-neck) of the Dutch.

Corvultur albicoUis (skull).

Descriptio7i. Adult male. — Above and below glossy black, the
head glossed with purple, the throat and upper chest shaded with
brown ; a broad collar of white round the back of the neck, con-
tinuous with a concealed white band across the lower throat, only
the bases of the feathers being white.

Iris brown ; bill dusky brown tipped with white ; feet brownish-
black.

Length 18-00 ; wing 15-75 ; tail 7*10 ; tarsus 2-10; culmen 3-00.

Adult female. — Eesembles the adult male in plumage.

Young. — Browner than the adult ; some feathers of the white
collar streaked with brown ; a pectoral band of white mottled with
brown.

Distribution. — South and East Africa. A common species
throughout the greater part of Cape Colony, Natal, the Orange
Free State and the Transvaal, as well as in Mashonaland, Mata-
bililand and Bechuanaland. It occurs in the southern portion of
Great Namaqualand but not in the northern districts or in Damara-

COEVID^ CORVULTUR 11

land. It ranges across the Zambesi into Nyasaland, Mosambique
and German East Africa, and is found on Mount Kilima-njaro, but
further north its place is taken by the larger C. crassirostris.

Habits. — Found ahke on the coast, among the mountains and
on the high veldt, as well as in the Karroo and the sandy wastes of
Namaqualand, the " Eing-hals " is one of the most widely dis-
tributed and best known birds of South Africa. Where not
molested it is a bold and fearless species, frequenting the outskirts
of towns and villages and the vicinity of farm-houses, native kraals
and outspans, on the look out for offal and scraps of all kinds.
When reared from the nest it makes an extremely tame and amus-
ing, if somewhat mischievous pet ; it has, in fact, all the habits and
idiosyncrasies of the European Eaven ; its ordinary cry, also, a
harsh croak, is, to my ear, exactly similar to that of the latter bird.

In the interior the ** Eing-hals " feeds largely on carrion,
and is usually the first bird to detect a carcass ; on the coast it
devours dead fish cast up by the waves, shellfish of all kinds, the
paper-nautilus being a favourite tit-bit, as well as the eggs of
penguins and other sea fowl. At times it kills and eats snakes,
lizards, frogs and small tortoises. Nor does it disdain an insect
diet, beetles, grasshoppers, locusts and termites are all readily
devoured, as well as ticks and bots picked from the hides of cattle.
I have sometimes amused myself by watching the bold yet cautious
and gentle manner in which one of these Eavens will approach a
reclining ox, and after a preliminary course of soothing caresses,
accompanied by a soft '* cawing" note, insert his head into the ear
and dexterously extract the ticks. These birds always seem to have
a good understanding with the older and more experienced oxen,
who will, at a hint from one of them, lie down and place themselves
in the most favourable possible position for the extraction of their
parasites.

The Eing-hals is usually a resident in Cape Colony and Natal,
and roosts all the year round in or near its nest. This latter is
invariably, so far as I have observed, built on a rock or krantz, on
a ledge or in a hole. It is large and firmly constructed of dead
sticks and twigs mixed with pieces of turf and tufts of grass, and
is lined with rootlets, wool, hair, grass and various soft material.
The eggs, almost invariably three in number, vary considerably in
colour and shape, even in the same nest ; they are of some shade of
bluish-white, more or less thickly marked with various shades of
olive-brown, and are not to be distinguished with certainty from

12 CORVID^ CORVUS

eggs of the European Eaven (Corvus corax). They average 2-05
X 1-32.

The same nest is occupied year after year. In the neighbour-
hood of Cape Town the eggs are usually laid in August.

Genus II. CORYUS.

Type.
GOFYUS, Linn, Syst. Nat. i, p. 155 (1766) C. corax.

Beak hard, stout, compressed, straight at the base, arching
towards the point and sharp at the edges. Nostrils basal, in a
more or less defined groove and generally hidden by stiff feathers
directed forwards. Wings long and graduated ; the first primary
much shorter than the second, but more than half as long as the
third, the fourth the longest. Tail more or less graduated, of
twelve feathers. Tarsus longer than the middle toe, scutellated
anteriorly. Toes large and strong, the outer and middle toe united
as far as the first joint ; claws strong, curved and sharp. Plumage
slightly glossy. Sexes ahke.

The genus Corvus includes many species of birds popularly
known as Eavens, Crows, Eooks, and Jackdaws. They are mostly
of large size, and usually of sombre colours ; omnivorous as regards
food, and with harsh voices. They pair for life, and build large
basket-like nests of sticks in trees or on rocks, some of them
in holes. With the exception of the Cape Black Crow, all the
species lay bluish-green eggs more or less spotted and blotched
with various shades of brown or olive-brown.

The Crows range over the whole of Europe, Africa, and North
America, the greater portion of Asia, and a considerable part of
Australasia.

Key to the Species.

a. Plumage black and white. Bill stout and strong, curving

rather abruptly towards the tip G. scajndatus.

b. Plumage entirely black. Bill rather slender and straight,

curving gently towards the tip C. capensis.

^^^

2. Corvus scapulatus. l?ied Crow.

La Corneille h, scapulaire blanc, Levaill. Ois. cVAfr. ii, p. 14, pi. 53

(1799).
Corvus scapulatus, Baud. Traite, ii, p. 232 (1800) ; Gray, Gen. Birds,

ii, p. 315 (1847) ; Layard, B. S Afr. p. 168 (1867) ; Gurney in Ander-

CORVID^ CORVUS 13

sson's B. Damara Land, p. 154 (1872) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. iii, p. 22,
(1877) ; id. ed. Laijard's B. S. Afr. p. 416 (1884) ; Holub and Pelzeln,
Orn. SiidafriTcas, p. 105 (1882) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 46 (1896).

Bonte Kraai " (Beautiful Crow) of the Dutch Colonists.

Corvus scapulatus.

Description. Adult male. — Nape, mantle, sides of neck, entire
breast, and inner axillaries white : all the remaining plumage black
glossed with purple and steel-blue.

Iris hazel-brown ; bill and feet black.

Length 18-00 ; wing 13*90 ; tail 7*90 ; tarsus 2-50 ; culmen 2-50.

Adult female. — Slightly smaller but similar in colour.

Young. — Many of the white feathers have dusky edges.

Distribution. — The whole of Africa to the south of the Sahara,
including Madagascar. It is very generally distributed over Cape
Colony, the Orange Free State and the Transvaal, but is some-
what local in Mashona, Matabili and Bechuana Lands, as well as
in Great Namaqua and Damara Land. It is common in Upper
Natal, but is not found on the coast.

Habits. — The Pied Crow, with its contrasting dress of black and
white, is a handsome and conspicuous bird that generally attracts
attention. It usually occurs in pairs, occasionally in small flocks.
Like most of its tribe, it is omnivorous in its diet, at the same time
it shows a decided partiality for animal food, and is always on the
look out for carrion and offal of all sorts. In the neighbourhood of
towns it is a haunter of slaughter-houses and refuse heaps, in the
country it visits camps and outspans in search of scraps of meat or
bones that may be thrown on one side. On the coast it visits the
beach, turns over the seaweeds, picks up shell-fish or feeds on dead
fish or whales left by the tide. At other times it visits cattle or

14 CORVID^ CORVUS

wild animals and frees them of various insect pests. There is
indeed very little that this Crow will not eat.

Its usual note is a harsh croak, but, like many of the Crows, it
has a singular variety of cries, especially in Spring, many of them
sounding as if the bird were about to choke or was trying to call
with its mouth full of food.

The nest, built in September in Cape Colony, is a large basket
work of sticks and twigs lined with wool and other soft material.
It is usually placed in a tree, but occasionally on the ledge of a
krantz. The eggs, from four to six in number, are bluish-green,
spotted and streaked, especially towards the larger end, with
different shades of olive-brown. They measure 1'65 x 1*15.

(H-

3. CorYUS capensis. Black Croiv.

La Corneille du Cap, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. ii, pi. 52 (1799).

Corvus capensis, Liclit. Verz. Doubl. p. 20 (1823) ; Gray, Gen. Birds,

ii, p. 315 (1847) ; Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 155

(1872) ; Holub and Pelzeln, Orn. Siidafr. p. 370 (1882) ; Shelley, B.

Afr. i, p. 46 (1896).
Corvus segetum, Temm. PL Col. (1828) ; Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 163

(1867).
Heterocorax capensis, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. iii, p. 12 (1877) ; id. ed.

Layard' s B. S. Afr. pp. 415, 845 (1884).

"Koren-land Kraai " (Corn-land Crow) of the Dutch.
South African Book.

Description. Adult male and female. — Entirely black, glossed
with purple on the back, wings, and under surface, with greenish
on the quills.

Iris dark brown ; bill and feet dark horn-colour.

Length 18-00; wing 13-80; tail 7*70; tarsus 2-70; culmen 2 50.

Young. — Browner and without gloss.

Distribution. — North-east, East, Central and South Africa.
Birds from South-east and Central Africa being smaller, have been
named C. capensis minor by Heuglin. In South Africa this Crow
is locally distributed, being common in some localities, entirely
absent from others. It is most abundant in Cape Colony, the
Orange Free State, and Upper Natal. It does not visit the coast
of Natal and is very irregularly distributed in the Transvaal and

CORVID^ COEVUS 15

Mafcabili and Mashona Lands. According to Andersson it is
very common in Ondongo, but very local and nowhere common
in Damaraland, becoming again more frequent in Great Namaqua
Land.

Habits. — This species, the well-known " Koren-land Kraai " of
the Dutch, is generally found in the neighbourhood of cultivated
land, for, like the Eook in England, it is a constant follower of the
plough for the sake of the worms and larvae that are turned up ;
so much is this the case, that in Damara Land, where it is a com-
paratively recent immigrant, its appearance seems to have coincided
with the first ploughing of the land by the natives. In addition to
insects this Crow feeds upon grain and various small seeds, occa-
sionally upon carrion. In western Cape Colony it is a constant
attendant upon the cattle on the mountain pastures, apparently for
the sake of the beetles and other insects obtained by turning over
the dung. It is a noisy, clamorous bird, especially in Spring, when
it appears to lose all control over its voice and gives vent to a
curious variety of harsh, cracked, falsetto notes.

Corvus capensis.

The nest, usually built on a tree but occasionally on the ledge
of a rock, is large, firmly constructed of dead sticks and twigs lined
with rootlets, hair, wool and dry grass. The eggs, three to five in
a nest, vary from buff to pink, thickly marked all over with small
spots and dots of red, pink and brown. They are somewhat
elongated ovates, averaging 2-25 by 1*20.

My friends, Messrs. Jupp and Ivy, of Grahamstown, inform me
that in the valley of the Great Fish Eiver this Crow plays the part
of foster parent to the young of the Great Spotted Cuckoo {Coccystes
glandarius).

16 STURNID^ BUPHAGA

Family II. STURNID^.

Bill an elongated cone, moderately strong, the sides compressed,
the culmen slightly curved or straight, the edges of both mandibles
smooth or the upper one simply notched. Nostrils nearer the
commissure than the culmen and not concealed by plumes or
bristles. No rictal bristles. Tarsus scutellated anteriorly, covered
by two smooth laminae posteriorly. Wings long and pointed, the
first primary small. Tail of twelve feathers, long or short. Sexes
nearly alike. Plumage of nestUng usually streaked. One moult
in the year.

The Sturnidse are distributed over the greater portion of the
Old World. They are generally gregarious ; some are migratory,
but the majority of the African species are more or less sedentary
in their habits. They build in holes of rocks, buildings, and
trees ; a few, including the South African Wattled Starling, make
open nests in bushes. They lay blue eggs, sometimes plain but
often spotted. They are generally omnivorous as regards their food.
Sixteen species and subspecies occur in South Africa, including two
which may be very naturally placed in a different subfamily,
Buphaginse.

Subfamily I. BUPHAGIN^.

Bill broad, moderately strong, the culmen slightly depressed and
curved to the tip, which is entire ; the sides of the lower mandible
broad, the gonys short and ascending. Nostrils basal, small, and
partly closed by a membrane. Wings long and pointed. Tail long
and graduated, the end of each feather pointed. Tarsi short and
strong. Toes moderately long, strong. Claw's curved and sharp,
the hind claw not as strong as the claw of the middle toe.

Genus I. BUPHAGA.

Type.
Buphaga, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 154 (1766) B. africana.

Bill strong and broad at the base, the culmen depressed towards
the base, swollen towards the extremity and curved to the tip, which
is entire ; the lateral sides of the lower mandible broad, projecting
posteriorly, and rounded ; the gonys moderately strong and curved
upwards. Nostrils basal, lateral, the opening small and partly
closed by membrane. Wings long and pointed ; the first quill very

STUBNID^ BUPHAGA 17

short, the second nearly as long as the third, which is the longest.
Tail long, broad, and wedge-shaped ; the end of each feather
pointed. Tarsi as long as the middle toe, strong, scutellated
anteriorly. Toes moderately long, strong, the lateral toes about
equal, the outer united at the base, the inner free. Claws much
compressed, curved and very acute, that of the middle toe more
developed than that of the hind toe.

Only two species of this very distinct genus are known, both
confined to Africa.

The Ox -peckers are of remarkable habits, obtaining nearly the
whole of their food, consisting of ticks and other parasites, from
the hides of the larger mammals, wild and domesticated ; occasion-
ally, when they find a sore, they eat the flesh and drink the blood
of the animal itself. They are of social habits, have harsh notes,
and are destitute of song. They perch on trees, seldom or never
on the ground. Their nests are built in holes of trees and buildings,
and they lay unspotted bluish-white eggs.

Key to the Species.

a. Bill more robust ; yellow at the base, red at

the point. Inner web of tail-feathers rufous B. africana, p. 17.

b. Bill less robust, entirely red. Inner web of

tail-feathers dark brown B. erythrorhyncha, p. 20.

Buphaga erythrorhyncha.

4. Buphaga africana. Yellow-hilled Ox-pecker.

Le Pique-Boeuf, Briss. Orn. ii, p. 437, pi. 42, fig. 2 (1760) ; Levaill. Ois
d'Afr. ii, p. 198, pi. 97 (1800).

Buphaga africana, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 154 (1766) ; Gray, Gen. B.
ii, p. 332, pi. 82 (1847) ; Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 175 (1867) ; Gurney
in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 163 (1872) ; Holuh and Pelzeln,
Orn. Siidafr. p. 109 (1882) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 418,

18 STURNIDiE BUPHAGA

845 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 195 (1890) ; Millais, A Breath
from the Veldt, p. 65, 5 Illustrations (1895); Shelley, B. Afr. i,
p. 41 (1896).

" Tick Bird " and " Ehinoceros Bird " of English Colonists.
" Ehinaster Vogel " of the Dutch.
" Umblanda " of the MatabiHs.

Description. Adult male. — Above, crown and upper surface of
body brown, fading into buff-yellow on the rump and upper tail-
coverts ; wing-coverts like the back ; quills and tail-feathers dark
brown, the latter tinged with rufous on their inner webs ; sides of
face and neck brown, merging into buff-brown on the breast, and
buff-yellow on the lower breast, abdomen and lower tail coverts ;
a patch of buff-red on the flanks ; thighs brown ; axillaries, under
wing-coverts, and under surface of quills, dark brown.

Iris orange or red ; in a specimen obtained by Andersson greyish-
green ; base of bill yellow, the terminal half red ; feet dusky.

Length 8-40; wing 4*90 ; tail 4-00; tarsus 0-90; culmenO-70.

Adult female. — Similar to the male in plumage.

Distribution. — The Ethiopian Eegion, excluding the forest
districts of the West coast. Cape Colony, and the coast of Natal.
It occurs sparingly in Upper Natal, but becomes more abundant in
Zululand and to the northward, being fairly numerous in the
Transvaal and thence to the Zambesi. If occurs also at Lake
N'Gami, in Damara Land and in Benguela.

Habits. — This species is not so common near the coast of Natal
and East Africa as the Eed-billed Ox-pecker, and appears to
follow the larger game in their retreat before civilised man. It
more particularly favours the buffalo and rhinoceros with its
company, and the majority of " big-game " hunters have noticed
this partiality. Mr. Andersson remarks in his " Lake N'gami "
that this bird "is also a frequent companion of the rhinoceros, to
which, besides being of service in ridding him of many of the
insects that infest his hide, it performs the important part of
sentinel. On many occasions has this watchful bird prevented me
from getting a shot at that beast ; the moment it suspects danger
it flies almost perpendicularly up into the air, uttering sharp shrill
notes that never fail to attract the attention of the rhinoceros,
who, without waiting to ascertain the cause, almost instantly seeks
safety in a precipitate flight."

Mr. Ayres also writes, "This species is a pest to the hunter, of
whose approach it warns the buffalo and rhinoceros by its loud
harsh note, which is perfectly understood by its huge friends."

STURNID^ BUPHAGA 19

According to Mr. J. G. Millais, who gives a most excellent
account of this species, accompanied by five drawings, in his
delightful " A Breath from the Veldt," the Ehinoceros Bird
attaches itself most frequently to the rhinoceros, the Cape buffalo,
the sable antelope, and the wart-hog, as well as the koodoo.
He writes, '* The prehensile power of the claws is, as I found by
experience, so great that when a dead bird which had grown stiff
was thrown on to the back or sides of an ox so that the feet touched
the animal's hide, the claws held fast at once, and could not be
easily withdrawn. It is most interesting to notice the way in which
a party of these birds will move about on the body of a horse or ox,
searchiug every part of him as they run or hop over it in the most
lively fashion. At the risk of being accused of telling a traveller's
yarn, I must state the fact they can hop backwards quite as well as
forwards, and they often make long drops downwards from the
shoulders to the foreleg, or down the side of the animal whose coat
they are engaged upon. It is quite immaterial to them how or
in what direction they move."

When the Ehinoceros Birds wish to alarm an animal of the
approach of danger, they rise for twenty or thirty feet and fly
round in a series of small circles, uttering harsh scolding notes
which much resemble those of the European Missel Thrush.
On this signal a wild animal at once takes to flight, but an
ox as a rule takes no notice, much to the indignation and
horror of the birds, who sometimes become perfectly frantic
in their endeavours to stampede the beast, flying wildly at
his face and eyes while screaming their loudest. Curiously
enough, all this alarm on the parts of the Ox-birds seems to be on
account of the animal on whose hide they have been searching for
food, for they themselves are among the tamest of birds, frequently
allowing one to walk within a few paces of them without evincing
any alarm whatever. These Starlings not only rid the animals
they frequent of ticks and other vermin, but they often peck at
sores on oxen and donkeys until they form cavities, which measure
sometimes two inches or more in diameter and as much in depth ;
they actually do eat the flesh and drink the blood of these animals.
Oxen submit quite placidly to this process of being eaten alive, and
seem none the worse for it afterwards, but donkeys show their
objections by trying to rid themselves of the birds by rolling on the
ground and running under bushes.

The Yellow-billed Ox-pecker builds an untidy looking nest in

:J^X 20 STURNID^ BUPHAGA

^^ . J.

/ 6^-/- jj]^Q natural hollow of a tree. On a foundation of straws and pieces
'^^l^ -e^/; of dried grass a thick pad of hairs is formed, and on this four or
^W-X^ five very pale bluish-white eggs are deposited. They average

5. Buphaga erythrorhyncha. Bed-billed Ox-pecker.

Tanagra erythrorhyncha, Stanley in Salt's Voy. Abyss. App. p. 59

(1814).
3 . ' Buphaga erythrorhyncha, Temm. PI. Col. ii, pi. 465 (1828) ; Layard,

B. 8. Afr. p. 175 (1867) ; Holuh and Pelzeln, Orn. Sudafr. p. 150,

fig. (1882) ; Shar2ye, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. pp. 420, 846 (1884) ;

id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p, 196 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 41 (1896).
" Tick Bird" of South African Colonists.
" Camel Bird " of the Somalis.

Description. Adult Male. — Above, crown and upper surface of
body brown ; lesser and middle wings-coverts like the back ; rest
of wing and tail-feathers darker brown ; sides of face, neck, and
throat brown shading into brownish-yellow on the breast and buff-
yellow on the lower breast, abdomen and under tail -coverts ;
axillaries, under wing-coverts, and under surface of quills brown.

Iris red ; bill entirely red ; eyelids yellow ; feet dusky-brown.

Length 8-50 ; wing 4-75 ; tail 4-10 ; tarsus 0-80 ; culmen 0-70.

Adult Female. — Eesembles the male in plumage.

Young. — Duller than the adults in colour ; the bill brown.

Distribution. — The greater part of the Ethiopian Eegion; but
more abundant on the east coast. Not found in Cape Colony,
Great Namaqua, or Damara Land, but occurs in Benguela. Very
abundant on the coast of Natal, and gradually extending its range
inland ; equally common in Zululand and Portuguese East Africa,
ranging northwards to Somaliland and Abyssinia. Somewhat local
in the Transvaal and Ehodesia.

Habits. — The Red-billed is the common " Tick Bird " on the
coast of Natal and East Africa, its place further inland being taken
to a large extent by its congener, Buphaga africana. In the lower
part of Natal it is resident, and in pastoral districts is nearly always
to be seen in small flocks, either seated on the backs of oxen or
horses, climbing, woodpecker-like, over their sides, or flying round
them with harsh cries resembling those of the European Missel
Thrush. Occasionally they perch on trees, seldom or never on the
ground ; Liviugstone, however, states that he met with this species,

STURNID^ BUPHAGA 21

together with Buphaga africana, roosting in reeds in localities
where neither wild nor tame animals were found (" Missionary-
Travels," p. 546). When seated on the back of an animal these
Ox-peckers rest on the whole tarsus, with head thrown back and
bill pointing upwards at an angle ; if endangered by the sweep of
their hosts' tail they flatten themselves still more and allow it to
brush lightly over or jump nimbly out of the way. Their food
consists almost entirely of ticks taken from the bodies of various
animals, donkeys being special favourites. Should they, however,
find an animal with a sore back they are apt to peck at and irritate
the wounds, perhaps for the sake of the blood, which they drink as
it oozes from the raw surfaces, but I have never known the Red-
billed Ox-pecker eat out the deep holes that the yellow-billed species
sometimes does. The same individual birds frequently attach
themselves to particular animals. A donkey at Pinetown in Natal
was constantly attended by four of these birds, who, in return for
their services in keeping her free from ticks, were in the habit of
drinking blood from sores which they kept open for that purpose
behind the ears. Their nests also were lined entirely with hairs
pulled from the donkey's coat ; in collecting these the birds showed
a certain amount of ingenuity, the individual hairs as they were
pulled out being placed end to end on the donkey's back until
nea^ bundles were accumulated, as large as they could con-
veniently carry ; these were then carried to their nests under
the roof of a house. In unsettled districts these birds build ' fti^^ ^
in the holes of trees, but in more civilised parts usually under >/\cj'xjL.tj;u,^ ^.
the roofs of houses. The nest is an untidy structure of straw and ^ j . ^ 'j
grass lined with the hair of various animals. The eggs, three to y -j. ^^j
five in number, are of a uniform pale bluish-white colour. They J^^X^:;^-^^
average 1-12 x 0-85. fuJ^^.^u^ a.

Subfamily II. STUKNIN-^E. jSji^l

Bill variable, the culmen curved or straight to the tip, which is
rather obtuse and flattened ; nostrils basal, open, in a membranous
groove. Wings moderate. Tail very variable. Tarsi rather long,
strong, and scutellated anteriorly; the toes long and strong, the
claws strong and sharp, that of the hind toe stronger than that of
the middle toe.

22 STURNID^ DILOPHUS

Key to the Genera.

a. Plumage of the male and female the same or

only differing slightly.
a^ Plumage not glossy or metalHc, or only
slightly so.
a^. Nasal aperture elongated. Old males in

summer with wattles on the head Dilojjhus, p. 22.

b^. Nasal aperture oval, in front of a groove.

a^. Outstretched feet fall short of tail end ... Amydrus, p. 26.

b^. Outstretched feet reach end of tail Spreo, p. 29.

6'. Plumage highly glossy and metallic, with re-
flections of green, violet and purple,
c^. Tail longer than the wing and much

graduated Lamprotornis, p. 31.

dP. Tail shorter than the wing, graduated or

square LamjprocoUus, p. 34.

b. Plumage of male and female differing markedly ;

the male highly metallic, the female of plain

colours without gloss Pholidauges, ip. 43.

Genus I. DILOPHUS.

Type.
Dilophus, Vieill. Anal. p. 34 (1816) D. carunculatus.

Bill long, straight and somewhat depressed at the base ; the
culmen curved, the sides compressed to the tip, which is emarginated ;
the gonys curved and ascending; the nostrils lateral and situated
in a membranous groove with the opening rounded and exposed.
Wings moderate, the first quill small, the second rather shorter
than the third or fourth, which are equal and longest. Tail short
and even. Tarsi longer than the middle toe, strong, covered in
front with broad transverse scales ; toes moderately strong, the
outer rather longer than the inner and united at the base ; the hind
toe long ; claws moderate, slightly curved and acute. In old males
in summer the entire head and face bare of feathers, sometimes
with erect fleshy wattles on the head and pendent lappets hanging
from the bare throat. The females are always without wattles and
lappets but have a space round the eyes and on each side of the
throat without feathers. One species only belongs to the genus.

STUBNID^ DILOPHUS 23

?-^^

V

6. Dilophus carunculatns. Wattled Starling.

Gracula carunculata, Gen. Syst. Nat. i, p. 399 (1788).

Le Porte-Lambeaiix, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. ii, p. 178, pis. 193, 194 (1799).

Dilophus carunculatus, Bilpp. Syst. Uebers. p. 76 (1845) ; Gray, Gen.
B. ii, p. 336, fig. (1847) ; Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 177 (1867) ; Gurney
in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 162 (1872) ; Holub and Peheln,
Orn. Siidafr. p. 108 (1882) ; ShariJe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. pp. 421,
845 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 61 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 46
(1896).

" Locust Bird " of English Colonists.

Dilophus carunculatus (old male in breeding plumage}.

Description. Old male in breeding 'plumage. — Entire head, face,
and throat, bare of feathers ; the skin bright yellow ; two erect
fleshy wattles on the crown, and a pendent lappet in the centre of
the throat, black ; entire body pale drab ; wing-coverts lighter ;
primary coverts, quills, and tail-feathers black ; under wing and
tail-coverts pale drab.

Iris brown ; bill yellow ; feet flesh-colour.

Length 8-75; wing 4-75; tail 3-00 ; tarsus 1-20 ; culmen 1-00.

In the specimen figured the wattles are unusually large and well
developed.

24 STUENID^ DILOPHUS

A younger, or less developed male, has a space behind and
below the eyes and on each side of the throat bare of feathers and
of a bright yellow colour, the rest of the head and face covered with
whitish feathers, through which the black wattles project. Com-
paratively few males have wattled heads ; probably this peculiarity
is confined to old males during the breeding season.

Adult female. — Is browner than the male ; the rump white ;
upper tail-coverts brown ; head feathered and coloured like the
back, only a space round the eye and on each side of the throat
being bare of feathers ; entirely without wattles or neck lappets.

Young. — In first plumage resemble the females.

Distribution. — Nearly the entire Ethiopian Eegion, including
Southern Arabia ; at times appearing in nearly every district in
South Africa, but subject to irregular migrations, depending upon
the supply of food, which consists largely of locusts at various
stages of growth.

Habits. — The well-known " Locust Bird" is of gipsy-like habits,
migrating here and there without much regard to season, and
frequently appearing suddenly in a district for several days or
weeks in flocks numbering tens of thousands, to disappear as
suddenly, often for many years. These Starlings are in fact so
largely dependent for food upon the migrating swarms of locusts
that they are compelled to remain in touch with these insects for
the greater portion of the year. A few stray individuals occa-
sionally remain for a time after the larger flocks have taken their
departure, and find an asylum in the ranks of the resident Eed-
winged or Brown and White Starhngs, with both of which species
they are on amicable terms. In September, 1869, Layard found
these Locust Birds breeding in vast numbers on the Berg river,
about eighty miles from Cape Town, their nests filling many
bushes, but they do not appear to have visited this district since
that date. In the same year they bred near Bedford.

Mr. Ayres says that " they are only found at Potchefstroom
during the winter months, from April to November, when they
occur both singly and also in companies ranging in number from
three up to a hundred or more."

When pursuing a flight of mature locusts these Starlings
perform various extraordinary and beautiful aerial evolutions with
the object of intercepting and surrounding a portion of the swarm,
and in doing this their movements closely resemble those of
another locust-destroying Starling, the beautiful Eose-coloured

STUENID^ DILOPHUS 25

Pastor of Eastern Europe and Asia. Individually the two species
are very different, collectively and under similar conditions their
actions are quite similar. Starting in a dense *' ball-like " mass,
they suddenly open out into a fan-shaped formation, then assume
a semi-circular arrangement, and finally end by forming a hollow
cylinder in which a portion of the locusts are enclosed ; as the
imprisoned insects are destroyed, the Starlings gradually fill up
the hollow of the cylinder until they again assume their " ball "
formation and proceed to follow the remaining locusts. The
ground below the flock is covered with the droppings of the birds
and the snipped-off legs and wings of locusts. At other times
the Starlings station themselves on the tops of bushes and trees,
from which they dart on the flying insects like Flycatchers.
When feeding on the ground, on the young locusts, they advance
in long lines, three or four deep, the rearmost birds constantly
jumping over those in front of them, like English Starlings.
When locusts are not to be had the Wattled Starling will eat
almost any variety of insect food, but seem to prefer grass-
hoppers and small beetles ; occasionally they feed upon berries
and seeds.

In Cape Colony the Locust Birds usually breed in very large
colonies, in localities in which the locusts have deposited their
eggs. For hundreds of yards every thorny bush is packed full of
cup-shaped nests, even the spaces between the nests being often
filled up with sticks or rubbish, through which narrow passages
are left for the ingress and egress of the birds. Many Starlings
that can find no room in the bushes, build on the ground, or
under stones, or in holes, and these unfortunates, together with
their eggs or young, ultimately become the victims of the smaller
carnivorous mammals or of snakes. It frequently happens
also that either the young locusts are hatched in insufficient
numbers or that they migrate before the young Starlings
are fledged. In either case large numbers of birds perish of
hunger, the majority of the old birds and the more advanced
young following the locusts. Four or five eggs are laid, usually
in August or September ; these are of a very pale blue colour,
sometimes with a few specks of black at the larger end, but
usually unspotted. They are rather pyriform in shape, and
average 1'20 x 0'90.

26 STUENID^ AMYDBUS

Genus II. AMYDRUS.

Type.
Amydrus, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. i, p. 201 (1850) A. morio.

Bill elongated, cone-shaped, broad at the base, compressed
from side to side near the tip ; culmen curved from base to tip ;
nostrils oval, pierced in a membrane towards the anterior end of a
groove. Wing : first primary one third the length of the second,
which equals the fifth; the third and fourth equal and slightly
longer. Tail long, but somewhat shorter than the wing, graduated
or square ; the outstretched feet fall short of its end. Tarsus
robust, front toes long and rather slender, hind toe stronger, claws
curved and sharp, especially the hinder. Plumage slightly glossy,
the wing-quills orange-chestnut, or buff and chestnut with black
tips, in South African species. Sexes alike or nearly so.

This genus includes five species distributed over South, East
and North-east Africa. They frequent rocky localities and feed
on insects, berries and fruit.

Key to the Species.

a. Wing 6*25 ; quills orange-chestnut with black tips ; tail

5"75, graduated ^.moWo, p. 26.

b. "Wing 5*40, quills buff with black tips, the outer webs of

the outermost only chestnut ; tail 4*60, square A. cafer, p. 28.

^<^

7. Amydrus morio. Bed-winged Starling.

Turdus morio, Linfi. Syst. Nat. i, p. 297 (1766).

Le Roupenne, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. ii, p. 134, pis. 83, 84 (1801).

Juida morio, Gray, Genera B. ii, p. 327 (1846) ; Layard, B. S. Afr.
p. 173 (1867).

Amydrus morio, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. i, p. 201 (1850) ; Holub and Pel-
zeln, Orn. Sildafr. p. 112 (1882) ; Butler, Feilden and Beid, Zoolo-
gist, 1882, p. 256 ; Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. pp. 431, 846 (1884) ;
id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 161 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 44 (1896).

" Red- winged Spreeuw." " Rooivlerk " (Redwing) of the Dutch.

Description. Adult male. — Above, with the scapulars and lesser
wing-coverts, glossy blue-black with violet reflections ; other coverts
glossy black with greenish-blue reflections ; secondaries blue-black ;
primaries orange-chestnut, tipped and partly edged on the inner
web with black ; tail black glossed with steel-green ; entire head

STURNID^ AMYDRUS 27

glossy black with reflections of blue and steel-green ; under sur-
face of body, axillaries and under wing-coverts blue-black ; the
abdomen without much gloss ; under surface of wing-quills orange-
chestnut with black tips.

Iris dark brown with an outer circle of crimson ; bill and feet
black.

Length 12-00 ; wing 6-25; tail 5*75; tarsus 1-30; culmen 1-15.

Amydrus morio.

Adult fefnale. — Like the male, but the head, neck, throat and
chest are grey streaked with black.

Young. — Duller in colour and without gloss.

Distribution. — South, East, Central and North-east Africa.
Eesident, or only subject to local migrations, in most parts of Cape
Colony, Natal, the Orange Free State and the Southern Transvaal.
It frequents both the coast and the interior, being most abundant in
rocky and mountainous localities. It has not been recorded from
Great Namaqua or Damara Land.

Habits. — This common and well-known species remains in flocks
all the year round and usually breeds in colonies but occasionally in
single pairs. Their presence is easily recognised by their loud,
prolonged and musical whistling note which is constantly uttered
both during flight and when at rest. On the wing they are as
readily distinguished by their bright chestnut wing-quills and wedge-
shaped tails, the females by their greyish heads. During the
greater portion of the year these Starlings feed upon larvae and
insects, but during the fruit season they devour grapes, figs and
other soft fruit. They are in consequence not looked upon with a
favourable eye by farmers and fruit growers. I have seen them
catch mature locusts on the wing as well as flying termites, and on

28 STURNID^ AMYDEUS

one occasion I noticed a pair devour the callow young of a Cape
Sparrow notwithstanding a sturdy defence by the parent birds. On
the coast the Eed-wing frequents the beach and searches the sea-
weed for sandhoppers and small molluscs ; berries of various kinds
are habitually eaten, especially those of the syringa-tree, on which
they sometimes gorge themselves until they are no longer capable
of flight, or perhaps are affected by some narcotic property of the
berry itself.

These Starlings build their nests of small sticks, straws and
various soft materials, in the holes and crevices of rocks and
krantzes, sometimes among the rocks on the beach just out of
reach of the waves, occasionally under the roofs of houses. The
eggs, four or five in number, are bluish-green, somewhat sparingly
marked, chiefly at the larger end, with spots of reddish-brown.
They average 1-45 x 0*95.

y^Ayy.-^ c/^^^t^ ^^^'^^fi^ ^^^"^ffi^

8. Amydrus caffer. Pale-winged Starling,

^^t,f a. A^^-^/vO. .----^>^
Coracias caffra, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 159 (1766).
Le Nabouroup, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. ii, p. 168, pi. 91 (1800).
Juida fulvipennis (Sund.) Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 173 (1867).
Amydrus caffer, Gurney in Andersson's B. Dama7'a Land, -p. 162 (1872) ;

Sharpe, ed Layard' s B. 8. Afr. pp, 430, 846 (1884) ; 8helley, B. Afr.

i, p. 44 (1896).
Pyrrhocheira caffer, 8har]3e, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 169 (1890).

Description, Adult male. — The entire body, above and below,
also the scapulars and lesser and middle wing-coverts, blue-black
glossed with purple; head and throat rather greener; greater
coverts, primary coverts, bastard wing and secondaries black, bronzed
with purple and green ; primaries buff- white at the base for three-
fourths their length, black at the ends, the outer ones with the outer
webs chestnut ; tail black with greenish reflections.

Iris orange-red ; bill and feet black.

Length 1000; wing 5-40; tail 4-60; tarsus 1'15 ; culmen 0*90.

Adult female. — Resembles the male in plumage.

Distribution. — South-western Africa : on the west coast in Little
and Great Namaqua and Damara Lands, extending into Mossamedes,
where it is abundant near the coast according to Anchieta. In Cape
Colony it is not found near Cape Town, but occurs in the Prince
Albert division at Aasvogelberg, is abundant at Nel's Poort and

je

^'' I : ' ■ / ■-'- r -, L XA-0 /

^ U^^ /ua^ f

STUENID^ SPEEO 29

elsewhere in the Karroo, also near Colesberg and at Kakamas on the
Orange River. It also occurs in the Orange Free State, but is some-
what local and scarce.

Habits. — This species is more restricted in its distribution, but
frequents much the same localities as the common Red-winged
Starling, which latter bird it also resembles in its general habits.
The two species are sometimes found together, as at Nel's Poort,
near Beaufort West, but, according to Layard, they do not mix in
the same flock, and the present is easily distinguished during flight
by its square tail as well as by the pale colour of the under side of
the wing.

Dr. Bradshaw remarks that this Starling is "rather numerous
about Kakamas," on the Orange River, " not seen anywhere else,
not even at Upington, only seventy miles away along the river."

Andersson says : " This is a tolerably common bird in Damara
Land and in the adjacent countries to the north and east, as well as
in Great and Little Namaqua Land. It is gregarious in its habits,
congregating in small flocks, and is partial to rocky localities ; it
sometimes flies at a considerable height, and frequents the water
morning and evening. It feeds on seeds, berries, insects, &c."

The Pale-winged Starling builds its nest in the crannies of rocks,
of straws, dried grasses and various soft materials. The eggs, three
to five in number, are smaller than those of the Red-winged Starling
as well as somewhat paler in colour, with smaller markings. They
measure about 1 '20 by 0*80.

Genus III. SPREO.

Type.
Spreo, Lesson, Traite, p. 407 (1831) S. bicolor.

Bill, nostrils and wing as in Amydrus. Tail short and square,
the outstretched feet reaching to its end. Plumage slightly metallic.
Sexes alike.

Six African species are included in the genus, one being confined
to South Africa. They feed chiefly on insects, and follow cattle
and sheep for the sake of ticks and other parasites. In their
general habits they closely resemble the European Starling (Sturnus
vulgaris).

%-

30 STUENID^ SPEEO

9. Spreo bicolor. ^ied Starling.

Turdus bicolor, Gm. Syst. Nat. i, p. 385 (1788).

Le Spreo, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. ii, p. 155, pi. 88 (1800).

Spreo bicolor. Less. Traite, p. 407 (1831) ; Gurney in Andersson's

B. Damara Land, p. 161 (1872) ; Holub and Pelzeln, Orn. Siidafr. p.

112 (1882) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 429, 846 (1884) ; id.

Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 187 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 44 (1896).
Juida bicolor. Gray, Gen. B. ii, p. 327 (1846) ; Layard, B. 8. Afr. p.

172 (1867).
Pied Starling and White-rumped Starling of the English.
Witgat (White -vent) and Witgat Spreeuw of the Dutch.

Spreo bicolor.

Description. Adult male. — Head, body, and wings, brown, with
reflections of bronze-green in certain lights ; lower abdomen and
under tail-coverts white. Tail bronze-green above, brown below.

Iris pale yellow ; bill black, the base, and a small wattle at the
gape, yellow ; feet black.

Length 10-25 ; wing 5-75 ; tail 4-20 ; tarsus 1-45 ; culmen 0-90.

Adult female. — Resembles the adult male in plumage.

You7ig of the year. — The base of the bill is buff-colour, and there
is no wattle at the gape.

Distribution. — Confined to South Africa : it is somewhat locally
distributed over Cape Colony, the Orange Free State, and Upper
Natal, but is not found on the coast of the latter country. It
ranges over the Southern Transvaal, but becomes rarer towards
the north; and although it occurs in the Lake N'Gami district, it
has not been recorded from Great Namaqua or Damara Land.

Habits. — This Starling is an abundant and well-known species
in many parts of South Africa, but from some districts is

STUKNID^ LAMPROTORNTS 31

unaccountably absent. Although very common at Mossel Bay
and Port Elizabeth, it is, according to Eickard, not found at
East London. Of social habits, the Brown and White Starling
remains in flocks all the year round. It is nearly always to be
found in the neighbourhood of outspans and cattle pastures, where
it may be constantly seen perched on the backs of sheep and
oxen, engaged in ridding these animals of ticks and other vermin ;
but probably the bulk of its food, consisting of grubs, beetles and
other insects, is obtained from the ground. During the greater
part of the year it feeds almost entirely on insects, very rarely
taking a few small seeds, but in the fruit season it eats grapes and
figs as well as other fruit, and as a result incurs the enmity of
the gardener and fruit grower. The ordinary call-note of this
Starling is a fairly loud and rather prolonged whistle. In Spring
it indulges in a broken and somewhat chattering song, which is
not unlike that of the European Starling.

As a rule they build their nests at the ends of holes excavated
by themselves, to the depth of from two to ten feet, in the banks
of rivers or dongas, but frequently they take possession of holes
in walls or under the eaves of farmhouses, and sometimes even
build on the ground under stones or rocks. At Saldanha Bay
I noticed them building in crevices in the sea-cliffs, and found
several colonies nesting in the sides of old wells, at some
distance below the surface of the ground. Andersson states that
they frequently take forcible possession of the nests of other
birds, such as the Woodpecker, Bee-eater, and Swallow. The
nest is an untidy collection of straws and dry grass with a
central pad of softer material — as hair, wool, or feathers.

The eggs, from two to six in number, are of a bright blue
colour, usually plain, but occasionally marked with a few spots
of reddish-brown. Their average size is 145 x 0-85. In Cape
Colony they are laid in August or September.

Genus IV. LAMPROTORNIS.

Type.
Lamprotornis, Tenm, Man. d'Orn. i, p. 11 (1820) L. caudatus.

Bill moderately long, more or less slender, the sides compressed,
the culmen slightly curved to the tip, which is emarginated ; the
gonys long and slightly ascending ; the nostrils basal, lateral, oval,
and exposed. Wings moderately long and pointed ; the first primary

32 STUENID^ ■ LAMPROTORNIS

short, the second shorter than the third, fourth or fifth, which are
longest. Tail long, longer than the wing, and much graduated.
Tarsi strong, scutellated anteriorly. Toes rather long, strong ;
the outer longer than the inner, the hind toe long and strong.
Claws strong, sharp and slightly curved. Plumage highly glossy
and metallic, '* shot " with reflections of deep green, violet, purple,
golden-bronze and copper colour. Irides brow^n. Sexes nearly
similar.

The Long-tailed Glossy Starlings, six species in all, are con-
fined to Africa. Two species come within our northern limits.
But little is known of their habits, but they appear to resemble
those of the better known Short-tailed Glossy Starlings.

Key to the Species.

a. Crown violet ; back blue glossed with violet ; throat

and chest violet L. mevesi, p. 32.

b. Crown and back golden-bronze with violet reflec-

tions ; throat and chest purple with reflections

of violet L.jJurjmreus, p. 33.

^ 10. Lamprotornis mevesi. Meve*s Glossy Starling.

Juida mevesi, Wahlb. Jour. f. Orn. 1857, p. 1 ; Gurney in Andersson's

B. Damara Land, p. 159 (1872).
Lamprotornis mevesi, Hartl. Jour. f. Orn. 1859, p. 12 ; Bocage, Orn.

Angola, p. 303 (1881) ; Holub and Pelzeln, Orn. Sildafr. p. 110

(1882); Sharjpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 423, 846 (1884); id.

Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 157 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 42 (1896).

Description. Adult Male. — Above, the covered portion of all the
feathers dull slate-black, the visible portion glossed with reflections
of blue and violet on the head and neck, with violet and copper-
colour on the back, the lesser wing, and upper tail-coverts ; the
remaining wing-coverts and quills bronzed with blue, violet and
green ; the long and much graduated tail bluish with violet reflec-
tions, the feathers crossed by numerous narrow black bars only
visible in certain lights ; below, the feathers with sooty-black bases,
glossed, on the throat and chest with violet, on the abdomen and
under tail-coverts with copper-colour ; the under tail-coverts washed
with blue ; axillaries and under wing-coverts dusky, glossed with
violet on the outer margins.

Iris brown ; bill and feet black.

STUENIDiE LAMPEOTOENIS 33

Length 12-00 to 18-00; wing 5-15; tail 7-50; tarsus 145;
culmen 0-70.

Adidt female. — Somewhat smaller and with a shorter tail, also
slightly duller in plumage.

Young. — Without coppery gloss on the under surface of body ;
the back greener and without violet reflections; and generally
duller in plumage.

Distrihutioii. — This beautiful long-tailed Glossy Starling was
discovered by Wahlberg in Damara Land in 1856, and obtained
by Andersson in the same country eleven years later. It ranges
northward into Mossamedes, and eastward along the valleys of
the Cunene and Zambesi Eivers. To the south of the latter river
it has been procured on the Mata Eiver by Frank Oates, and at
Sibanani by Dr. Holub. North of the Zambesi it occurs in Barotse-
land and Nyasaland. In the latter country it has been met with
both by Mr. Whyte and Mr. Alfred Sharpe.

11. Lamprotornis purpureus. Piiriole Long-tailed Starling.

Lamprotornis purpurea, Bocage, Jorn. Lisb., 1867, p. 334 (1867) ; id.

Orn. Angola, p. 305, pi. 7. (1881) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p.

423 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 158 (1890) ; SJielleij, B. Afr. i,

p. 42 (1896).
" Melombeangansa," natives of Mossamedes.

Description. Adult male. — Above glossy golden-bronze with
violet reflections ; forehead and lores blackish ; crown like the
back ; scapulars and lesser wing-coverts glossy purple with violet
reflections, the feathers tipped with golden- bronze ; secondaries
glossed with violet and purple and barred with dusky ; primaries
blackish ; tail-feathers glossed with violet and purple and cross-
barred with dusky ; throat and breast glossy purple with reflec-
tions of violet shading into golden-bronze on the abdomen.

Iris brown ; bill and feet black.

Length 14-00 ; wing 6-00 ; tail 8-40 ; tarsus 1-50 ; culmen 0-90.

Adult female. — Eesembles the male in plumage.

Young. — Much duller in colour ; generally of a dusky brown
with violet reflections.

Distribution. — Benguela and northern Ovampo Land. Anchieta
collected this beautiful Starling on the Rio Chimba, and at Quillen-
ques and Capangombe, in Benguela. I have seen several specimens
3

34 STURNID^ LAMPROCOLIUS

from Huilla, to the north of the Eiver Cunene, and obtained three
from a German collector, Herr Smidt, killed on the south bank of
that river.

Genus V. LAMPROCOLIUS.

Lamprocolius, Sund. CEJfv. K. Vet.-Akad.

Fork. Stockh. 1836, p. 104 L. phoenicopterus.

Bill moderate, more or less slender, the culmen curved to the
tip, which is emarginated, the sides compressed, the gonys long
and slightly ascending. Nostrils basal, lateral, exposed and oval,
the feathers approaching but not concealing the opening. Wiogs
moderately long and pointed, the first quill short, the second rather
shorter than the third, fourth, or fifth, which are about equal and
longest. Tail equal to, but generally shorter than the wing, nearly
square, slightly rounded, or graduated. Tarsi about as long as the
middle toe, robust, scutellated anteriorly ; toes rather long, strong
and scutellated, the outer longer than the inner, the hind toe long
and strong ; claws strong, short and slightly curved. Sexes alike.
Plumage very glossy and metallic, with reflections of green, blue,
violet and purple.

The genus Lam^rocolius contains fifteen species of Glossy
Starlings : its range is strictly Ethiopian. They are very social
in their habits and feed in flocks, on berries and small fruits which
they obtain from bushes and trees, and on various insects which
they search for on the ground. They are somewhat noisy birds,
with usually loud and harsh notes. They build in holes of trees,
occasionally in buildings, and lay four or five eggs of a pale bluish-
green colour, sparingly spotted with reddish-brown.

Key to the Species,
a. Tail much graduated.

a} Larger ; wing 6-80 — 7-50 ; tail 5-75— 6-70 ; irides

' hazel L. australis, -p. 35.

b.^ Smaller ; wing 5*00 ; tail 4*45 — 5*00 ; irides

yellow L. acuticaudus, p. 37.

h. Tail square or slightly rounded.
Irides orange or yellow.
c.^ Tail deep oil-green.

a.^ Breast, abdomen and flanks deep oil-green.
Wing-spot copper-colour glossed with purple
and violet.

STURNID^ LAMPKOCOLIUS 35

a.^ Size larger; wing 5*80 L.phoenicopterus, i^.SS.

b.^ Size smaller ; wing 5*00 L. phoenicopterus

bispecularis, p. 39.
b.^ Breast steel-green glossed with purple ;
abdomen and flanks bluish-purple.
c.^ Wing-spot bluish-purple ; crown steel-
blue L. chloropterus, p. 40.

d.^ Wmg-spot violet ; crown glossy oil-green L. sycobius, p. 41.
d.^ Tail black, slightly glossed with purple on the

outer webs ; abdomen dull black L. melanogaster, p. 42.

Lammvcolius phosnicopterus.

12. Lamprocolius australis. BurchelVs Glossy Starling.

Megalopterus australis, Smith, Beport Exp. Cent. Afr. App. p. 52

(1836).
Lamprotornis Burchellii, Smith, III. Zool. S. Afr. pi. 47 (1840) ; Hohib

and Peheln, Orn. Sudafr. p. 110 (1882).
Juida australis, StricJcland and Sclater, Contr. Orn. 1852, p. 149 ;

Layard B. 8. Afr. p. 170 (1867) ; Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara

Land, p. 158 (1872).
Lamprotornis australis, Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 424, 846

(1884).
Chalcopsar australis, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 158 (1890) ; Shelley

B. Afr. i, p. 43 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Crown, back, wing-coverts, throat
and breast glossy oil-green, the inner lesser coverts copper-colour ;
nape, lower back and rump glossed with purple and violet ; upper
tail-coverts glossy green tipped with purple ; tail-feathers dark
brown bronzed with purple, violet, blue and green, and crossed by
numerous dark bars; lores and feathers round eyes black; ear-
coverts blackish glossed with purple and violet ; secondaries brown

36 STURNID^ LAMPKOCOLIUS

crossed by numerous but nearly invisible bars of darker brown and
bronzed with blue ; primaries dark brown bronzed with blue and
greeu, especially on the outer webs ; abdomen glossed with purple,
blue and violet, the flanks with blue and green ; vent and thighs
black, the thighs slightly bronzed with blue; under tail-coverts
glossed with violet and purple ; axillaries and under wing-coverts
black bronzed with purple and blue.

Iris hazel ; bill and feet black.

Length 14-00 ; wing 7*50 ; tail 6-70 ; tarsus 1-85 ; culmen 1-00.

Adult female. — Like the male in colour, but much smaller.
Length 10-50 ; wing 6-80; tail 5-75.

Distribution. — From the neighbourhood of Colesberg, in Cape
Colony, through the Orange Free State and the Transvaal into
Bechuana, Matabili, and Mashona Lands, thence through the Lake
N'Gami district, where it abounds, according to Andersson, into
Angola. It is one of the commonest birds at Humbe as Anchieta
states.

Habits. — This large and very beautiful Glossy Starling appears
to be everywhere rather shy in its habits, much more so than are
the majority of its congeners. In the Northern Transvaal, where it
abounds in certain favourite localities, usually where there are a good
many trees and bushes growing on the banks of rivers, it may be
frequently seen feeding on the ground in flocks, often in the company
of Lamprocolius bispecularis . It is at once distinguished from the
latter species not only by its greater size, larger wings, and longer
tail, but by its much heavier and more laboured flight. Burchell's
Starling is a lively bird, vivacious in all its actions, constantly
flitting its tail, frequently carrying it at right angles to its body as if
to show off its glossy plumage to the greatest advantage. Its notes
are loud, harsh and clamorous. Like all the Glossy Starlings it is
omnivorous as regards food, feeding largely on berries and fruit,
but also on insects, including locusts and termites; Anchieta remarks
that, in Angola, this species "feeds on fruit and termites." It
obtains its food both from trees and on the ground ; Sir Andrew Smith
says " from high trees exclusively," but he made this observation
after having seen these birds on one or two occasions only in a
particular locality.

Mr. Buckley states in his "Birds observed during a journey to
Matabililand " {Ibis, 1874, p. 378) that these StarHngs, at the time
of his visit in June, 1873, were building under the eaves of the
houses in Pretoria. More usually they breed in the holes of trees,

STURNID^ LAMPROCOLIUS 37

frequently at a considerable height above the ground. The nests
consist of a quantity of dry grass and straw lined with hair, wool
and finer grass. The eggs are usually four in number, bluish-green,
sparingly marked with spots of pale reddish brown. They measure
1'36 by 0-95.

13. Lamprocolius acuticaudus. Sharp-tailed Glossy Starling.

Lamprocolius acuticaudus, Bocage, Jorn. Lisb. 1870, p. 345 ; id. Orn.

Angola, p. 309, pi. 6 (1881) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 427

(1884) ; Shelley. B. Afr. i, p. 43 (1896).
Heteropsar acuticaudus, 8har])e, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 185 (1890).
*' Eiabairo " of Caconda natives (Anchieta).

Lamprocolius acuticaudus.

Description. Adult female (Okavango Eiver). — Above glossy
oil-green ; wing-coverts and outer webs of quills like the back,
the edge of wing glossed with violet and copper-colour, the
primary coverts with blue, some of the middle coverts with a black
terminal or subterminal spot ; central tail-feathers green like the
back, the outer with their inner edges dull black ; crown like the
back ; lores, eyelids and feathers below eye black ; ear-coverts
glossy blue ; under surface of body glossy oil-green, shot with
bluish on the lower breast, abdomen and flanks ; axillaries and
under wing-coverts black, glossed with violet and purple ; under
surface of tail and wing-quills blackish.

Iris orange-yellow ; bill and feet black.

Length 9-00; wing 5-00; tail 4-45; tarsus 1-05 ; culmen 0-90.

The tail graduated, the centre feathers 0*75 longer than the
outer.

Adult male. — Eesembles the female in colour, but is slightly
larger, and has a longer tail.

V-

38 STURNID^ LAMPROCOLIUS

Length 10-00 ; wing 5-10; tail 5*00; tarsus 1-10; culmen 090.

Distribution. — Southern Angola and Ovampoland ; abundant on
the plateau and among the mountains of Huilla to the north of the
Cunene Elver, ranging south into Ovampoland and to the Okavango
River (Erickson).

Habits. — Anchieta states that it feeds principally on fruits.

14. Lamprocolius phoenicopterus. Bed-shouldered Glossy Starling.

Le Nabirop, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. ii, p. 157. pi. 89 (1800).
Lamprotornis phoenicopterus, Swains. An. in Menag. p. 360 (1837).
Juida phoenicoptera, Gray, Gen. B. ii, p. 326 (1846) ; Layard, B. 8.

Afr., p. 171 (1867).
Lamprocolius phoenicopterus, Bp. Consp. i, p. 416 (1850) ; SJiarpe. ed.

Layard' s B. 8. Afr. pp. 425, 846 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 180

(1890) ; 87ielley, B. Afr. i, p. 43 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above, deep glossy oil-green, with
purplish reflections on the occiput and back of neck ; the back,
rump, and upper tail-coverts glossed with steel-blue ; wing-coverts
glossy oil-green, some of the innermost lesser and the middle
coverts brilliant copper-colour encircled with purple and violet, the
middle and greater coverts tipped with steel-blue and with a pen-
ultimate spot of black ; quills glossy oil-green on the outer webs ;
tail-feathers oil-green glossed with blue ; lores and feathers round
the eyes black ; ear- coverts black glossed with violet ; throat glossy
steel-blue and green ; rest of under surface glossy oil-green ; thighs
black glossed with violet ; under tail-coverts bronzy oil-green ;
axillaries and underwing-coverts glossy purple, blue and green ;
under surface of wing and tail-feathers black.

Iris orange-yellow ; bill and feet black.

Length 10-50; wing 5-80 ; tail 4-00 ; tarsus 1-45 ; culmen 1-00.

Adult female. — Resembles the male in plumage but is somewhat
duller in colour.

Distribution. — Confined to Cape Colony to the east of the
Gamtoos River, probably ranging into the south of the Orange Free
State.

Habits. — In many districts of Eastern Cape Colony this species
of Glossy Starling is very common and well-known, being often met
with in considerable flocks. It is most numerous in the bush and
forest districts, where it finds an abundant supply of small fruits

STUENIDiE LAMPEOCOLIUS 39

and berries, as well as a variety of seeds and insects. I have
frequently seen this Starling catching the winged termites as they
issued from the ground. It is a bird of lively habits, frequently
taking short flights and returning to its perch, and constantly uttering
its loud, mellow notes, varied at intervals with a short song which
depends for its merit a good deal on the individual performer, and
is not unlike that of the English Starling. Small parties of these
Glossy Starlings are often to be seen sitting on the tops of high
trees, their metallic green and copper-coloured plumage glistening in
the sun, and recognisable at a distance by their bright orange-yellow
irides. In Spring the winter flocks separate into pairs, which
distribute themselves through the bush in search of a convenient
hole in which to place their nest. Usually they make use of a
natural hole or cavity in a tree-trunk, but sometimes take possession
of one dug by a woodpecker after driving away the rightful owners.
Not unfrequently they build under the eaves of a barn or house, and
Mr. Barratt remarks that, on his farm on the Chalumna, British
Kaffraria, they " frequented the barns and buildings, continually
flying to and fro, like English Starlings." The nest holes are
thickly lined w^ith dry grass, feathers, and hair, on which four or
five eggs are laid. These are usually somewhat elongated in shape,
of a pale bluish-green ground colour, sparingly spotted with pale
reddish-brown. They average about I'lO x 0*80.

15. Lamprocolius phoenicopterus bispecularis.

'*t Lesser Bed-shouldered Glossy Starlirig.

Spreo bispecularis, Strichl. Contr. Orn. 1852, p 149.

Juida decorata, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 171 (1867).

Lamprocolius phoenicopterus, Gurney in Andcrsson's B. Damara Land,

p. 160; Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. pp. 425, 846 (par tint) (1884).
Lampr6colius phoenicopterus, subsp. a. bispecularis, Sharpe, Cat. B. M.

xiii, p. 181 (1890).

Description. Adult male. — Similar to the male of L. phoeni-
copterus, but distinctly smaller; the wings and back steel-green
instead of oil-green in colour. Iris orange ; bill and feet black.

Length 8*20; wing 500; tail 3-50; tarsus 1*20; culmen 0-70.

This race replaces the true L. phoenicopterus in Natal, Zululand,
the Orange Free State, the Transvaal, Swaziland and Portuguese
East Africa. It was found by Dr. Holub in West Matabililand and

<A

40 STURNIDiE LAMPROCOLIUS

in East Bamangwato, by Mr. Andersson in Damara Land, and by
S. Anchieta in Mossamedes and Angola.

Habits. — In its habits this race does not differ from the larger
L. phmnicopterus. Mr. Andersson remarks : " This bird is found
most abundantly throughout Damara and Great Namaqua Land,
in the valleys of the Okavango and of the Teoughe, and in the
Lake regions. Like our European Starling, which it very much
resembles in manners and habits, it frequently congregates in large
flocks; it is comparatively tame and easy to approach, and is often
met with near villages. Its food is very various, consisting of
berries, seeds, and insects, and it is very destructive to fruit gardens;
its flesh is not unpalatable. This species forms its nest in the
hollows of trees, lining the cavity well with feathers. The eggs are
four in number, of a long oval shape, but tapering much more at
one end than at the other ; they are of a pale bluish-green, spotted
all over with small dots of light brown."

Mr. T. Ay res writes, that in Natal ''these birds are generally
to be found from three to a dozen together, sometimes more,
excepting in the spring, when they pair off. They build in holes in
the trunks of trees, generally at a good height from the ground.
I have known a pair of these birds take possession of a Woodpecker's
nest, destroying the eggs, and laying their own instead, which the
Woodpeckers seemed to submit to rather tamely. They feed almost
entirely on fruits and berries, and are destructive to our mulberries
and other small fruits. They sometimes hop about and feed on the
ground, somewhat like the Thrush and Blackbird in England."

16. Lamprocolius chloropterus. Green-winged Glossy Starling.

Lamprotomis chloropterus, Swains. An. in Menag. p. 359 (1837).
Lamprocolius chloropterus, Bp. Cousp. i, p. 416 (1850) ; Heugl. Orn.

N. O.-Afr. ii, p. 512 (1870) ; SJiarpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 178 (1890) ;

Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 43 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above, upper back and scapulars
glossy steel-green ; lower back, rump and upper tail-coverts steel-
blue glossed with green ; wing-coverts like the back, with a sub-
terminal spot of black on the middle and greater coverts ; on the
bend of wing a patch of bluish-purple formed by the inner lesser-
coverts ; bastard-wing, primary-coverts and quills black, externally
steel-green, the secondaries with a terminal black spot ; tail violet

STURNIDJE LAMPROCOLIUS 41

glossed with greenish ; crown steel-blue ; ear-coverts deep blue ;
lores black ; cheeks, throat and chest glossy steel-green ; lower
breast and abdomen, thighs and flanks purplish ; axillaries and
under wing-coverts purplish. Iris golden-yellow; bill and feet
black.

Length 8-35 ; wing 4-75 ; tail 2-75 ; tarsus 1-20 ; culmen 0*75.

Distribution. — On the west coast of Africa from Gaboon to
Senegambia, ranging across Central into North-east Africa,
where it is very common. It occurs in Abyssinia and breeds in
Shoa, according to Antinori. It reaches as far north as lat. 20°.
It is not very common in German East Africa, but occurs as far
south as the delta of the Zambesi, where Sir J. Kirk obtained
specimens at Tete.

Habits. — This species resembles its congeners in habits. It is
generally found in flocks, large or small, but occasionally in pairs.
It is active and vivacious in its movements, runs with rapidity on the
ground and occasionally hops. It feeds on seeds, fruit and insects,
both on the ground and among bushes and trees. Its note is, for
a glossy StarHng, rather soft and not unmusical, a long-drawn-out
kra-ah, kra-ah. Its golden-yellow irides are very conspicuous
durinoj life.

'o

17. Lamprocolius sycobius. Peter's Glossy Starling.

Lamprocolius sycobius, Licht. Nom. Av. Berol, p. 53 (1854) ; Holub
and Pelzeln, Orn. Siidafrikas, p. 110, pi. 3 (1882) ; Sharjpe, ed.
Laijard's B. S. Afr. p. 426 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 178
(1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 43 (1896).

" Iqueeze " of the Matabilis.

Description. Adult male. — Differs from the male of L. phceni-
copterus in being much smaller and in lacking the purple and
violet gloss on the occiput and nape, also in having the head
glossy oil-green with coppery reflections, the inner lesser wing-
coverts more violet and less copper-coloured in shade.

Iris golden yellow ; bill and feet black.

Length 8-00 ; wing 4'85 ; tail 3-30 ; tarsus I-IO ; culmen 0-90.

Adult female. — Eesembles the male in colour.

Distribution. — From the Central Transvaal through Ehodesia,
Nyasaland and Mosambique to Mombasa ; on the west coast from
Northern Damara Land to the Congo. Holub records this Starhng

42 STUBNID.!*; LAMPEOCOLIUS

from the Central Transvaal and Bechuan aland, Ayres from the
Transvaal and Mashonaland. Whyte met with it at Zomba and
Mount Chiradzulu in Nyasaland, and Anchieta at Hmnbe, Huilla
and Gambos in Benguela.

Habits. — In its general habits this species resembles L. phoeni-
copterus, but its note is different, according to Ayres. It feeds on
insects, berries and fruit, and nests in the holes of trees ; builds
an untidy structure of dry grass, straws and green leaves, and lays
from three to five elongated bluish-green eggs sparingly spotted with
reddish-brown. They average 1-05 x 0*78.

^'-' 18. Lamprdcolius melanogastep. Blach-hellied Glossy Starling.

Lamprotornis melanogaster, Swains. Ani7n. in Menag. p. 297 (1837).
Juida melanogaster, Graij, Gen. B. ii, p. 327 (1846) ; Layard, B. S.

Afr. p. 173 (1867).
Lamprocolius melanogaster, Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. p. 428

(1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 182 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 43

(1896).

Description. Adult male, — Entire plumage dull black, glossed
on the crown with deep steel-blue and green, on the nape and sides
of neck with oil-green, on the back, rump, and upper tail-coverts
with purple; the lesser wing-coverts with reflections of purple,
the middle and greater coverts dark steel-green with a bluish
lustre ; the feathers of the bastard wing, the primary coverts and
quills black glossed with violet on the outer webs, the secondaries
with steel-green ; lores and feathers round eyes black, unglossed ;
ear-coverts with violet reflections ; throat and chest glossed with
deep oil-green ; rest of under surface dull black with purplish reflec-
tions on the breast, thighs and under tail-coverts; axillaries and
under wing-coverts black glossed with purple ; quills below black,
tail-feathers black glossed with purple, chiefly on the outer web.

Iris golden yellow ; bill and feet black.

Length 8-00; wing 4-30; tail 3-40; tarsus 1-00; culmen 0-65.

Adult female. — Considerably duller than the male, and without
lustre on the lower breast and abdomen.

Young. — Duller than the female, a general sooty black with but
little gloss on any of the feathers.

Distribution. — East and South Africa : from Mombasa and
Zanzibar southward, through German East Africa and Mozam-

STUBNIDJS PHOLIDAUGES 43

bique, into the Eastern Transvaal, Zululand, and Natal ; extending
into Eastern Cape Colony and ranging as far west as Knysna.
This species is not very common in the Eastern Cape Colony, but
is a resident, breeding both in the neighbourhood of Grahamstown
and King William's Town. In Natal and Zululand it is fairly
abundant and resident, as it is in the Eastern Transvaal.

Habits. — This Glossy Starling is much shyer and more retiring
in its habits than its congeners, and confines itself very much
to the thicker portions of the coast bush, rarely venturing into
the more open country. Its peculiarly loud and harsh notes are
frequently heard when the bird itself is invisible. When not
breeding these Starlings are nearly always in small flocks that
hunt through the bushes in search of berries and frait, in addition
to various seeds and insects. Like most birds they seem to be
particularly fond of termites. In Spring they separate in pairs,
and proceed to look for a convenient nest-hole in the trunk or limb
of a tree, frequently taking possession of the old nesting-place of a
Barbet. Into this they carry a few small sticks, pieces of straw,
and dry grass, and a much larger quantity of hair, wool and
feathers. About the end of September, in Natal, three or four eggs
are laid, of a pale blue-green, spotted sparingly with pale reddish
brown. They are somewhat elongated in shape, and measure
about 1-05 X 0-75.

Genus VI. PHOLIDAUGES.

Type,
Pholidauges, Cabanis^ Mus. Hein. i, p. 198 (1850). ...P. leucogaster.

Bill rather short, shorter than the tarsus, and slightly curved,
the mandibles nearly equal ; culmen rounded. Nostrils oval, open,
in a groove. Wings rather long, the first quill rudimentary, the
second, third and fourth nearly equal and longest. Tail short,
much shorter than the wing, and nearly square. Tarsi short and
strong, scutellated anteriorly. Feet moderately strong, the lateral
toes equal. Claws short, curved and sharp.

Plumage of male and female markedly different, that of the male
being highly glossy and metallic, that of the female dull and of
obscure colours. Young males resemble the females. Occasionally
a female (?) will produce one or two metallic plumes, but whether
this indicates an accidental variation, or that old females ultimately
assume a plumage like that of the males, is not known.

44

STURNIDJ3

PHOLIDAUGES

Four species and sub-species of this genus are known, their
range being confined to Ethiopia and South Arabia. One sub-
species occurs in South Africa.

/^ ^ ,., . ./,.- ....... ..,..'

^ClJ 19. Pholidauges leucogaster verreauxi.

Verreaux's Glossy Starling.

Pholidauges leucogaster, Gurney, Ibis, 1862, p. 29 ; Bocage, Jorn.

Lisb. 1868, p. 4.
Juida leucogaster, Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 174 (1867).
Lamprotornis leucogaster, Chajpm. Trav. S. Afr. ii, App. p. 404 (1868).
Pholidauges verreauxi, Bocage in Finsch and Hartl. Vog. Ost.-Afr.

p. 867 (1870) ; id. Orn. Angola, p. 314, pi. 5 (1881) ; SJiarpe, ed.

Layard's B. 8. Afr. pp. 428, 846 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 123

(1890) ; 8heUey, B. Afr. i, p. 42 (1896).
Cinnyricinclus leucogaster, Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara Land,

p. 156 (1872).

Pholidauges verreauxi.

Pholidauges verreauxi (tail).

Description. Adult male. — Above, crown and entire upper
surface, including the wing-coverts and secondaries, as v^ell as the
sides of face and neck, below^, the throat and upper chest, brilliant
metallic copper colour with violet and purple reflections ; rest of
under surface pure white tinged with grey on the sides and flanks ;
lores, feathers below and behind eye and chin black ; bastard wing
and primaries, as well as the bases of some of the secondaries,
black ; under surface of quills black ; axillaries and under wing-
coverts blackish, with light edges and coppery reflections ; edge of
wing barred with white ; tail, two centre feathers like the back, the

STUENID^ PHOLIDAUGES 45

others blackish glossed with purple and violet, the outer feather
with its outer web white for its basal three-fourths (this white on
the outer tail-feather distinguishing P. leiccog aster verreauxi from
the more northern P. leucogaster typicus).

Iris bright yellow ; bill and feet black.

Length 6-60; wing 4-25 ; tail 2-40 ; tarsus 0-80; culmen 0-60.

Adult female. — Above dark brown, the feathers of the crown
and mantle with bright rufous edges, those of the back with paler
edges, of the rump and upper tail-coverts still paler ; wing-coverts
and secondaries brown margined with rufous, some of the secondaries
slightly glossed with green ; primaries darker brown with narrow
lighter edges (among the feathers of the mantle are three of a
brilliant metallic copper-colour resembling those of the adult male) ;
a spot of dusky in front of eye ; over the eye some rufous feathers ;
ear-coverts reddish-grey ; throat whitish with small streaks of dark
brown ; cheeks reddish, streaked with brown ; an indistinct rufous
collar across the chest ; rest of under surface white streaked with
dark brown, chiefly on the breast and flanks ; under tail-coverts
white ; tail-feathers brown, the outer feathers edged with rufous on
the outer webs ; under wing-coverts and axillaries brown edged
with rufous ; under surface of quills rufous on the inner webs for
their basal three-fourths. The female of P. leucogaster verreauxi
only differs from the female of P. leucogaster typicus in being
slightly more rufous on the crown.

Iris chrome-yellow ; bill and feet black.

Length 6-60 ; wing 4-20 ; tail 2-40 ; tarsus 0-90 ; culmen 0-60.

The specimen described was shot on the Okavango Kiver on
the 10th of October, and although sexed as a female, may, I think,
be really a young male beginning to assume the adult plumage ; the
presence of the three metallic feathers in the mantle possibly
indicating the commencing change. With reference to this matter.
Dr. Sharpe writes as follows regarding the northern P. leucogaster
typicus in the Catalogue of the British Museum, vol. xiii, p. 122:
" Some ornithologists have contended that in North-eastern Africa
the adult female becomes metallic like the male. This experience
has been controverted by other travellers. It seems to me most
unlikely that the female should become metallic, as no tendency to
go beyond the brown plumage exhibits itself in the South African
P. verreauxi (but vide supra) ^ and yet in three specimens from
Abyssinia, two of which are sexed as females by Mr. Jesse, there
are a few metallic purple feathers. It is at any rate a curious fact,

46 STURNID^ PHOLIDAUGES

as is also the way in which the purple plumage is assumed, partly
by a direct moult, and partly by a change of feather."

Yoicng male. — Eesembles the adult female, the change to the
metallic plumage of the adult male being due, partly to a moult,
but chiefly to an alteration in the structure of already existing
feathers.

Distribution. — South, East and South-west Africa. This species
has not been recorded from Cape Colony or Great Namaqua Land,
but occurs not uncommonly in Damara Land, and ranges on the
west coast as far north as the Congo, where it meets with the
typical P. leucogaster. Towards the east it is found not uncom-
monly in Natal, Zululand, and the Transvaal, being partly resident,
but chiefly migratory in these localities. It also occurs in the
Orange Free State. It ranges throughout Matabili Land, Mashona-
land, and the Portuguese Territory, and extends across the Zambesi
into Nyasaland and German East Africa as far north as Zanzibar ;
the typical P. leucogaster being again found in North-east Africa
and Abyssinia.

Habits. — These beautful Starlings, although not so common as
some of the other Glossy Starlings in Natal, are by no means
rare in Autumn and Winter. At this season they are almost
invariably in flocks, consisting entirely of either male or female
birds. Towards Spring they appear to migrate northwards, some-
times after they have paired.

During their stay in Natal they feed chiefly on berries and
small fruit, but also on insects, and particularly upon the flying
termites which they take on the wing, darting upon them from
the top of some convenient bush or other advantageous station.
In the Transvaal many of these birds are resident, particularly in
the Eustenburg district, where they breed ; at the same time the
majority appear to migrate towards Spring. When migrating or
moving for any distance, they fly in flocks and usually at a con-
siderable height.

Andersson remarks that in Damara Land this species is
migratory " arriving at the approach of the rainy season, and
gradually leaving as the country dries up, though I have observed
a few individuals remaining long after the general emigration was
over, and these may probably stay throughout the year. The
exquisitely coloured males arrive first, and, as far as I have
observed, associate but little with the sombre females, from which
they differ so marvellously in appearance."

ORIOLID^ ORIOLUS 47

Like the other Glossy Starlings, this species builds its nest
in the holes of trees, in the Transvaal in December, lining some
natural hollow, or the old nest-hole of a Barbet, with wool and
feathers, over which they place green leaves, which are renewed
from time to time. The eggs, usually four in number, are pale
blue, sparingly spotted with pale brown at the large end. They
measure 0-90 x 0-70.

Family III. ORIOLID^.

The cutting edges of both mandibles smooth, the upper
mandible with a distinct notch. Nostrils well in advance of the
base of the bill, and nearer the commissure than the culmen,
not concealed by plumes or bristles. Tongue not tubular. Eictal
bristles present. Tarsi scutellated anteriorly, covered by two
longitudinal laminae posteriorly. Tail-feathers twelve. Primaries
ten. Sexes differ very slightly when fully adult ; the plumage of
the young streaked. One moult only, in autumn.

The Orioles are distributed over a large portion of Europe, Asia
and Africa.

About forty species and sub-species are described ; eight species
are found in the Ethiopian Eegion, and three of these occur to
the south of the Zambesi and Cunene Elvers.

Genus I. ORIOLUS.

Type.
Oriolus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 160 (1766) 0. galbula.

Bill moderate, about as long as the head, conical, decurved to
the point, which is notched. Nostrils basal, lateral, bare and
pierced horizontally in an extended membrane. Lores feathered.
Eictal bristles fairly well developed. Wings long and sharp, the
first quill much shorter than the second, the third the longest.
Tail shorter than the wing, the end slightly rounded, Tarsi short,
scutellated anteriorly, covered by two entire plates posteriorly.
Toes scutellated. Claws curved, sharp, and grooved laterally.
Plumage yellow and black.

The Orioles are essentially tree-birds, seldom descending to the
ground, but obtaining their food, consisting of insects, fruit, and

48 OEIOLID^ ORIOLUS

berries, from the leaves and branches of trees. All the species have
peculiarly loud and mellow call-notes, and many of them a song
of a few rich and liquid notes. The Orioles build shallow, saucer-
shaped nests, which they suspend by the rims from the forked
branches of trees, often at a considerable height. They lay four
or five eggs of a creamy white, spotted sparingly with dark brown
or black.

Key to the Species.

a. Entire head golden-yellow.

a-'. Outer tail-feather black at the base 0. galbiila, p. 48.

6'. Outer tail-feather entirely yellow 0. notatus, -p. 50.

b. Head black 0. larvatus, p. 51.

Oriolus larvatus,

^^ 20. Oriolus galbula. Golden Oriole.

Oriolus galbula, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 160 (1766) ; Layard, B. 8. Afr.
p. 135 (1867) ; Gurney in Andersson' s B. Damara Land, p. 124
(1872) ; Dresser, B. Europe, iii, p. 365, pi. 144 (1875) ; Sharpe, Cat.
B. M. iii, p. 191 (1877) ; id. ed. Laijard's B. S. Afr. p. 411 (1884) ;
Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 41 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Entire head and body golden yellow,
rather deeper on the breast ; a black streak from the eye to the base
of the bill ; wing-coverts black, the cubital coverts narrowly tipped
with yellow, the primary coverts broadly edged and tipped with
yellow ; quills black, the secondaries tipped with pale yellow ;
axillaries and under-wing-coverts golden yellow. Tail black, the
two centre feathers slightly tipped with yellow, which increases on
each succeeding feather until only the bases of the outer feathers
are black.

OKIOLID^ ORIOLUS 49

Iris red ; bill dull red ; feet dark brown.

Length 1000 ; wing 5-90 ; tail 340 ; tarsus 0-80 ; culmen 1-00.

Adult female. — Eesembles the adult male in colour, but is some-
what duller. She appears to take considerably longer than the
male in assuming her fully adult plumage— probably two years or
more — and, as a result, has been frequently described and figured in
a plumage resembling that of the young.

Young. — Above olive-yellow; the wings dusky brown tinged
with oHve ; tail-feathers olive with black bases and tips ; throat and
breast grey streaked with black ; flanks yellow with indistinct
streaks ; lores dusky ; bill reddish-brown ; feet black. The change
from the streaked immature to the adult plumage is due to a change
in the colour of the feathers and not to a moult.

Nestling. — Above, dull yellow-olive, each feather edged with
pale yellow ; wings slate-grey, the coverts and secondaries tinged
with olive and tipped with yellow, the primaries edged and tipped
with white ; tail olive, tipped with yellow with increases in amount
towards the outer feathers ; under surface of body grey, the breast
streaked with brown ; thighs, under tail and wing-coverts yellow ;
bill brown.

Distribution. — During the northern summer the greater portion
of Europe, ranging into South-western Asia and Persia, a few
remaining to breed in Algeria and Tunis; migrating to Africa in
winter, and extending as far south as German East Africa, Natal
and Knysna, in Cape Colony, some reaching Damaraland and
Madagascar. A considerable number of individuals spend the
winter months in North Africa, in Tunis, Algeria, Morocco and the
oases of the Sahara, perhaps the same birds that breed there.

Habits. — The Golden Oriole is a common and well known
summer migrant in Central and Southern Europe. It reaches
Germany from the south about the end of April or beginning of
May, rears its young, and leaves again in August. A few enter-
prising individuals annually reach England. It is a bird of somewhat
shy and secluded habits, fond of hiding its brilliant plumage amidst
the foliage of the densest thickets and most thickly foliaged trees ;
as a result, it is much oftener heard than seen, its peculiarly clear
and flute-like notes being audible at a considerable distance. They
have been compared to the words " Who are you " rapidly whistled.
During the pairing season the male pours out a short but briUiant
song, chiefly in the early morning and towards evening ; this is
syllabled by the Dutch as ** Kiel-i-vee-vo." The alarm-call Naumann

4

50 OKIOLID^ OEIOLUS

compares to a harsh " Khrr." The flight of the Golden Oriole
is undulating, its gait on the ground — a hop and not a walk. It
feeds largely upon insects and especially upon caterpillars, in
autumn upon cherries and other fruit in addition. The nest, a
saucer, or shallow cup-shaped structure, is always suspended from
the forked horizontal smaller branch of a tree, usually an oak or
pine, at a height of from twenty to forty feet. The framework of
the nest is constructed of strips of inner tree-bark, leaves of sedge,
and occasionally pieces of paper. These are wrapped round the
supporting twigs and woven together. The cavity is lined with fine
stalks of grass. About the end of May, in Germany, four or five
eggs are laid. These are of a glossy, creamy-white ground colour,
sparingly spotted with distinct markings of dark purplish-brown ;
usually they are elongated ovates, averaging about 1*25 x 0-87.
In South Africa this species, according to Andersson, " arrives in
Damara Land with the return of the rainy season ; but it is com-
paratively rare, and very few adult birds are seen ; it is excessively
shy and difficult to approach, both when perched on lofty trees and
also when gliding rapidly through the underwood. Its food consists
of insects and fruits."

Mr. Barratt, who met with this species in some numbers in the
neighbourhood of Eustenburg in the Transvaal, also noticed their
extreme shyness, and remarks that owing to this it was some time
before he could obtain a specimen.

^ ^^ 21. Oriolus notatus. Anderkon's Oriole.

Oriolus auratus {nee VieilL), Gurney, P. Z. S. 1864, p. 2; Layard,B. S.
Afr. p. 135 (1867).

Oriolus notatus, Peters, Jour. f. Orn. 1868, p. 132 ; Sliarjpe, Ibis, 1870,
p. 218, pi. 7, fig. 2; id. Cat. B. M. p. 196 (1877); id. ed. Layard's
B. 8. Afr. pp. 412, 845 (1884) ; Gurney in Andersson' s B. Damara
Land, p. 124 (1872) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 41 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Entire head and body golden yellow,
deeper on the crown, back, rump, and breast ; from the base of the
bill a black streak extends through the eye to the ear- coverts ; wing-
coverts black, broadly edged and tipped with yellow ; bastard
wing black ; quills black, broadly edged externally with pale yellow ;
under wing-coverts golden yellow; two centre tail-feathers black
with yellow bases and tips, the next on each side yellow with a
large black spot on each web, rest of tail-feathers entirely yellow.

OKIOLID^ OEIOLUS 51

Iris red ; bill red ; feet blackish-brown.

Length 800; wing 5-40 ; tail 3-00; tarsus 0-80; culmen 1-10.

Adult female. — Eesembles the male, but is duller in colour.

Distribution. — On the East Coast, from Delagoa Bay to Mombasa,
extending through the Northern Transvaal and Mashonaland, where
it is "not uncommon," according to Ayres, to East Bamangwato
(Holub), the Okavango Eiver, Ovampo Land, and Damara Land,
from all of which localities it has been recorded by Andersson.
Anchieta found this species at Humbe, to the north of the Cunene
Eiver, and at other localities in Benguela.

Habits. — Andersson remarks in the ''Birds of Damara Land"
(page 125) : " I have only obtained the adult of this splendid Oriole
in Damara Land on a few occasions, and that always during the
rainy season ; the young, however, are frequently met with ; and at
the Okavango Eiver the species is more common than in Damara
Land proper. The young birds are easily obtained ; but the old
ones are excessively shy and difiScult to procure, as they always
perch on the most elevated and conspicuous trees, and retire into the
densest parts of tangled brakes and thickets on the least approach
of danger."

" The food of this Oriole consists of seeds, berries, and insects.
The irides are brown in the young birds and bright red in the adults;
the bill is reddish-brown ; the legs are lead-coloured."

22. Oriolus larvatus. Black-headed Oriole.

Le Coudougnan, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. vi, p. 52, pi. 261 (1808).

Oriolus larvatus, Licht. Verz. Douhl. p 20 (1823) ; Holub and Von Pelz.

Beitr. Orn. Sildafr. p. 93 (1882) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr.

pp. 413, 845 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. iii, p. 217 (1877) ; Shelley, B.

Afr. i, p. 41 (1896).
Oriolus capensis, Siuains. Class. B. ii, p. 237 (1837) ; Layard, B. S.

Afr. p. 134 (1867).
Oriolus arundinarius, Bitrch. Trav. in S. Afr. i, 464 (1824).

" Uhlaza " of the Zulus.

Description. Adult male. — Entire head, face, and throat, ex-
tending down the centre of the chest, black ; rest of the body, above
and below, golden yellow, tinged with olive on the back ; wing-
coverts black, broadly edged with yellow, the outermost with grey ;
primary coverts black tipped with white ; quills black, the primaries

^^

52 ORIOLID^ ORIOLUS

edged with grey, the secondaries with yellow ; axillaries and under-
wing-coverts golden yellow ; the two centre tail feathers olive-
green, the remainder black at the base, the terminal portion yellow,
the amount of yellow increasing with each succeeding feather
towards the outermost.

Iris red ; bill dull red ; feet black.

Length 9-25 ; wing 5*50 ; tail 3-25 ; tarsus 0-90 ; culmen 1-05.

Adult female. — Eesembles the adult male in colour.

Young of the year. — Above olive-yellow indistinctly streaked
with brown ; head and face dusky-brown ; wing-quills brown with
paler brown margins ; tail dark olive-green ; below yellowish, the
breast streaked with black.

Distribution. — South Africa : an abundant resident in all the
forest and wooded districts in Cape Colony, Natal, Zululand, Por-
tuguese East Africa and the Transvaal. It ranges northward into
Nyasaland and German East Africa, thence into Central and North-
east Africa and Angola, but has not been recorded from Damara or
Great Namaqua Land. Examples from East and North-east Africa
as well as Angola are considerably smaller than those from South
Africa, and have been described as 0. rolleti.

Habits. — This beautiful Oriole is found usually on the out-
skirts of forests, among detached groves of trees, and the large
growth on the banks of streams and rivers. In such localities its
rich flute-like notes may be generally heard. These Orioles are
almost invariably in pairs. They pass most of their time among
the upper branches of fairly lofty trees, preferring those of thick
growth in which their brilliant plumage is concealed by a mass
of foliage. They rarely settle on the ground. Their flight is undu-
lating and seldom prolonged for any great distance. They feed on
caterpillars, small beetles and other insects, also on berries and
small forest fruits, occasionally on seeds. The young are fed ex-
clusively on caterpillars. The nest is suspended from a fork near
the end of a horizontal branch of a tree, at a height of from twenty
to fifty feet. It is saucer-shaped, woven from a long grey lichen
that grows on the higher forest trees, often where it is hidden by
the natural growth. The eggs, three to five in number, resemble
those of the Golden Oriole in size, shape, and colour. J , , ' . Av/Vi

h^

PLOCEIDiE HYPHANTORNIS 53

Family IV. PLOOEID^.

Bill very variable in size and shape, but more or less strong,
cone-shaped, the edges of the mandibles smooth and unnotched;
the culmen ending in a point among the frontal feathers ; the
nostrils within the line of the forehead or not far from it.
Wings with ten primaries, the first or outer sometimes minute,
sometimes fairly well developed. Tarsi strong, scaled anteriorly, the
sides covered with lougitudinal entire laminae which meet in a
ridge posteriorly. Toes usually strong, the claws curved and sharp.

The Weaver Birds, popularly known as " Finkes " in South
Africa, are closely related to the true Finches or Fringillidce, but
may be usually distinguished by their having ten primaries, the
Finches having but nine that are easily found. This distinction,
however, does not invariably hold good, some of the Fringillidoi
having as distinct a first primary as some of the Ploceidce.

All the Weaver Birds build covered nests, usually suspended
from trees or reeds, but sometimes placed on or near the ground,
whereas the Finches (the Sparrows and a few South American
species excepted) build open cup-shaped nests in trees or bushes.

About three hundred and fifty species of Weaver Birds are
known, distributed over the Ethiopian, Oriental and Australasian
Regions. Some two hundred and sixty species are found in Africa,
including the sixty that occur to the south of the Zambesi River.

The family of the PloceidcB is by Captain Shelley conveniently as
well as very naturally divided into three sub-families : —

1. Plocein^, including the typical Weaver Birds, with the
first primary fairly well developed, extending beyond the primary
coverts and about as long as the tarsus. The sexes are nearly alike
in winter but differ slightly in summer. They have a partial spring
moult as well as an autumn one.

2. EsTKiLDiN^, the Waxbills or Eooibekies, finch-like birds of
small size, with the first primary very small, attenuated towards
the end, and sickle-shaped. The male and female nearly alike in
plumage at all seasons. An autumn moult only.

3. ViDUiN^, the Widow and Bishop Birds, with the first
primary of minute size. The male and female nearly alike in
winter, but differing markedly in summer, the males having a highly
specialised breeding dress with frequently extremely brilliant colours
or lengthened tail feathers.

54 PLOCEID^ HYPHANTORNIS

Sub-family I. PLOCEIN^.

The PloceincB are distributed over Africa and Southern Asia.
They are usually of moderate size, and rather heavy and robust
build ; the sexes are much alike in winter, but the males in
summer, after a partial spring moult, are brighter. The majority
of the species are very social in their habits, breed in large colonies,
and usually suspend their nests from trees or attach them to reeds.
The nests are frequently retort-shaped with an entrance from below ;
they are invariably covered in above. The eggs vary greatly in
colour even in the same nest, some being plain, others spotted.
Twenty-two species and sub-species of PloceincB occur in South
Africa.

Key to the Genera.

a. Tail rounded, the outer feather shortest.

ft*. Prevailing colours yellow, or yellow and black.
a^. With distinct hairs on the nape and back
of neck.

a?. Bill higher than broad at nostrils Hyphantomis, p. 55.

b^. Bill nearly equal in height and depth at

nostrils Sitagra, p. 66.

b^. No hairs on nape or back of neck Sycobrotus, p. 71.

b^. Prevailing colours not yellow or black and
yellow.
c^. With hairs on nape and back of neck.

c^. Head red, chocolate colour, or olive-yellow,

breast white Anaplectes, ip. 74.

d^. No hairs on nape or neck.

d^. Entirely black, except outer edges of pri-
maries, which are white ; culmen flat-
tened at base Textor, p. 78.

e^. General colour chocolate brown.
Forehead and wing speculum white.
' Bill very massive and deep, the culmen
ridged and prolonged on forehead as
far as middle of eye Amblyospiza, p. 80.

b. Tail square.

c^ Size larger; wing over 3*80 ; nostrils exposed ;

crown black Ploceipasser, p. 82.

dK Size smaller ; wing under 2*40 ; nostrils entirely

hidden by feathers ; crown " scaled," the

feathers black with light edges Sporopipes, p. 86.

PLOCEID^ HYPHANTORNIS 55

Genus I. HYPHANTORNIS.

Type.
Hyphantornis, Gray, Gen. B. ii, p. 351 (1849) H. cucullatus.

Bill as long as, or longer, than the head, broad at the base,
laterally compressed to the tip, higher than broad at the nostrils ;
the culmen broad, smooth and rounded, prolonged backwards to a
point among the frontal feathers ; the lateral margins angulated at
the base, straight towards the tip. Nostrils oval, basal and ex-
posed. Wings reaching a little beyond the base of the tail ; the
first quill short, the second equal to the sixth, the third, fourth and
fifth nearly equal and longest. Tail short and rounded, the outer
feather shortest. Tarsus as long as the middle toe. Toes strong,
the outer and inner equal. Claws strong and curved. Plumage,
prevailing colour yellow, or yellow and black. The males brighter
in summer after a partial spring moult.

Hyphantornis spilonotus.

More than thirty species of African Weaver birds are included
in this genus, seven occurring to the south of the Zambesi. They
are of social habits, breed in large colonies and build more or less
kidney- or retort-shaped nests which are either suspended from the
twigs of trees or attached to the stems of reeds. The two or three
eggs are spotted or plain, and vary greatly in colour even in the
same nest. All the species feed on seeds and insects.

Key to the Species.

a. With the throat black.

a^. Entire head and face black H. nigriceps, p. 56.

¥. Forehead only black, crown yellow.

a^. A line of chestnut between the black fore-
head and yellow crown H. cahanisi, p. 57.

56 PLOCEID^ HYPHANTORNIS

h^. No line separating the black forehead from

the yellow crown H. velatus, p. 58.

c^ Forehead not black.

c^. Back black mottled with yellow H. spilonotus, p. 60.

d^. Back olive-yellow striped with black ...... H. sheUeyi, p. 62.

h. Throat not black.

d\ Entire head yellow H. subaureiis, p. 6S.

e^. Forehead only yellow, rest of head and face

greenish-yellow H. jamesoni, p. 65.

-6^

23. Hyphantornis nigriceps. BlacJc-headed Weaver Bird:

Hyphantornis nigriceps, Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 180 (1867) ; Sharpe^ ed.

Lmjard's B. S. Afr. p. 436 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 456 (1890) ;

Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 40 (1896).
Ploceus nigriceps, Shelley, Ibis, 1887, p. 35.

Hyphantornis velatus.

Description. Adult male in summer. — Above bright yellow
mottled with black, each feather having a black centre ; wings
dark brown, the feathers margined externally with yellow ; tail
dark brown tinged with yellow ; entire head, face, chin and throat
black ; a collar of pure yellow round the nape ; under surface of
body below the throat bright yellow.

Iris orange ; bill black ; legs and feet horn-brown.

Length 6-60 ; wing 3-40 ; tail 2-15 ; tarsus 0-85 ; culmen 0-80.

Adult female. — Above greyish-brown mottled with dusky; head
greenish-yellow; throat and chest yellow; rest of under surface
white, the sides grey.

Distribution. — From South Somaliland southward through

^<>

PLOCEID^ HYPHANTOBNIS 57

Zanzibar, Mosambique and Nyasaland to the Zambesi, and to the
south of this river through Portuguese East Africa, Ehodesia and
the Transvaal to Zululand and Natal, ranging westward through
Bechuanaland and the Lake N'Gami district into Mossamedes and
Angola.

Habits. — This species was described by Layard from examples
obtained at Kuruman by Dr. Moffat. It does not differ from H.
velatus in its general habits, but Ayres, who met with it breeding on
the Umvuli and Quaequae rivers in Mashonaland, states that the
nests are usually hung from the ends of the reeds, instead of being
placed between the upright stems, as is generally the case with
those of the Masked Weaver Bird. The nests of both species are
kidney-shaped, with an opening on the under side, and are strongly
and compactly woven with long pieces of green grass, and lined
with grass leaves and the flowering tops. The eggs of this species
also are much like those of H. velatus and vary in colour to an
equal degree. They are white, blue, green or cream-coloured,
sometimes plain, bub often spotted all over with red or brown, or
more sparingly marked with large blotches of reddish-brown.
They average 0-90 x 0-60.

24. Hyphantornis cabanisi. Cahanis's Weaver Bird.

Hyphantornis cabanisi, Peters, Joum. f. Orn. 1868, p. 133 ; Sharpe, ed.

Layard' s B. 8. Afr. p. 442 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 461 (1890) ;

Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 39 (1896).
Hyphantornis nigrifrons (nee. Cab), Buckley, Ibis, 1874, p. 380 ; Sharpe

in Oates' Matabele-Land, p. 319 (1881) ; id. ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr.

p. 326 (1884) ; Holub and Pelzeln, Orn. Sildafr. p. 116 (1882).

Description. Adult male. — Forehead, ear-coverts, cheeks and
throat black ; front crown chestnut-red ; hind crown orange-yellow
merging into olive-yellow on the nape and upper surface of body ;
scapulars olive-yellow mottled with black ; lesser wing-coverts dull
olive-yellow with black bases ; remaining coverts and quills dusky
edged with yellowish ; central tail-feathers olive-brown edged with
olive-yellow, and tipped with blackish, other tail-feathers brown
edged with olive-yellow ; sides of neck yellow ; under surface of
body bright yellow tinged with orange on the lower throat and
breast ; the flanks, thighs and under tail-coverts whitish ; under
wing-coverts yellow.

58 PL0CE1DJ-] HYPHANTORNIS

Iris yellowish-white ; bill black ; tarsi and feet brown.

Length 5-90 ; wing 2-80 ; tail 1-90 ; tarsus 0-85 ; culmen 0-65.

Adult fejyiale. — Above olive-yellow, the back streaked with
dusky ; tail-feathers olive-brown margined all round with olive-
yellow ; sides of face and neck and under surface of body pale
yellow; axillaries, under wing-coverts and inner margin of quills
yellow.

Iris reddish-hazel ; bill, tarsi and feet pinkish.

Length 4-75; wing 2-70; tail 1-75 ; tarsus 0-75 ; culmen 0-60.

Young male. — Eesembles the adult female in plumage, but the
crown and back are brighter yellow ; the lower surface of body
yellow, tinged with orange on the chest.

Distribution. — From Natal northward through Zululand, the
Eastern Transvaal and Portuguese East Africa to Lamu on the east
coast ; westward through Mashona and Matabili Land to the
Lake N'Gami district and Damara Land. In the latter country
Andersson found this species at Omaruru and on the Swakop Eiver.

Habits. — Like those of H. velatus. Gates found insects in the
stomach of one he examined. Messrs. Woodward met with this
species breeding in Zululand, and describe the eggs as being white.

. 25. Hyphantornis Yelatus. Masked Weaver Bird.

A
Ploceus velatus, Vieill N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xxxiv, p. 132 (1819).
Ploceus tahatali, Smithy BejJ. Exp. Cent. Afr. p. 50 (1836).
Ploceus mariquensis, Smith, III. Zool. S. Afr. pi. 103 (1845).
Hyphantornis mariquensis, Gray, Gen. B. ii, p. 351 (1849) ; Gurney,

Ibis, 1868, p. 466, pi. 10 ; Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 182 (1867) ; Ayres,

Ibis, 1871, p. 254 ; 1873, p. 284 ; 1877, p. 345 ; 1880, p. 105 ; 1884,

p. 229.
Hyphantornis capitalis, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 180 (1867).
Hyphantornis auricapiUus, Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 183 (1867).
Hyphantornis velatus, Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p.

169 (1872) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 439, 847 (1884) ; id.

Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 464 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 39 (1896).

Description. Adult male in breeding plumage. — Forehead, lores,
eyebrow, ear-coverts, sides of face, cheeks and throat black ; crown,
nape, sides of neck and under surface of body bright yellow, with a
shade of golden on the crown, neck and breast ; back olive-yellow
obscurely streaked with brown ; scapulars olive-yellow streaked
with black ; rump and upper tail-coverts yellow ; wings brown, the

PLOCEID^ HYPHANTORNIS 59

middle coverts tipped, the quills edged with yellow ; tail-feathers
olive- brown edged with yellow ; edge of wing yellow ; axillaries
white tinged with yellow ; under wing-coverts grey ; inner margin
of quills yellow,

Iris orange-red ; bill black ; tarsi and feet flesh-colour.

Length 5-80; wingSOO; tail 210 ; tarsus 0-80 ; culmenO-65.

Adult male in winter. — Above ash-brown streaked with darker
brown, the crown and nape tinged with olive-yellow ; rump and
upper tail-coverts unstreaked olive-yellow ; lesser wing-coverts olive-
yellow with brown bases ; rest of coverts and quills brown margined
with yellow or olive, the middle coverts tipped with pale yellow ;
tail olive-brown tinged with yellow ; lores dusky ; a faint eyebrow
yellowish ; ear-coverts, sides of face and neck olive-brown tinged
with yellow ; cheeks and throat yellowish-white ; breast, sides and
flanks pale brown tinged with yellow ; centre of abdomen white ;
under tail- coverts fawn-yellow ; edge of wing bright yellow ;
axillaries and under-wing- coverts pale yellow.

Iris light brown ; bill dark brown ; legs and feet dark flesh-
colour.

Adult female. — Kesembles the male in winter, but the lower
back, rump and upper tail-coverts are ash-brown instead of olive-
yellow.

Specimens from northern localities are smaller and brighter than
those from further south. They have been separated and called
H. mariquensis ; but there is a regular gradation in size and colour
from south to north or vice versa.

Distribution. — From Central Cape Colony, where it is common
in the neighbourhood of Nel's Poort and Colesberg, through
Bechuanaland to Damara Land and Benguela ; eastward into the
Orange Free State and Natal ; northward throughout the Transvaal
into Matabililand, but becoming less numerous to the north of the
Limpopo Eiver.

Habits. — These Weaver Birds are gregarious at all seasons of
the year, and in summer frequently form very large breeding
colonies, often consistmg of several hundred pairs of birds. Fre-
quently they commence building their kidney-shaped nests very
early in the spring, towards the end of July or beginning of August,
when many of the males still retain their immature or winter dress ;
but the nests are not completed, or the eggs laid, as a rule, until
the beginning of November.

As a breeding place these birds prefer reed-beds, if any are

^n

60 PLOCBID^ HYPHANTORNIS

available, but should there be none, they suspend their nests from
trees and bushes overhanging water, or occasionally over dry
ground. When built among reeds, the nests are usually attached
to two stems by the sides ; but when in trees they are suspended
from the drooping twigs. Like most of the Weaver Birds this
species becomes very tame during the breeding-season, and it is
a pleasing sight to watch the busy birds as they are engaged in
constructing their ingeniously formed nests. They work with the
greatest energy, the male fetching the long green grass-stems out
of which the nests are woven, and usually assisting from the
outside by passing one end through to the female inside the nest,
she passing it back again, and so on. Whilst engaged in this work
the birds frequently hang back downwards with extended wings,
swaying gently to and fro, and all the time keeping up a ceaseless
chattering.

In districts where the Sanseviera grows the nests of the .Masked
Weaver Birds are often constructed entirely of the marginal fibres
of this plant.

The entrance to the nest is from below, the nest itself being
shaped like a retort without a neck, or the shell of a garden snail.
Although this species subsist largely on grain and grass-seed during
winter, it feeds freely on insects during summer. The young are
fed on soft larvae, caterpillars and small grasshoppers. They
remain in the nest for about thirty days.

The eggs of this Weaver, usually three in number, vary remark-
ably in colour, even in the same nest. They are of some shade
of white, cream-colour, pink, green, or blue ; often unspotted,
but more frequently marked, more or less thickly, with small spots
and dots of various shades of red and brown ; less often they are
blotched and clouded heavily with large masses of the same
colours. They are somewhat elongated in shape, and average
0-93 X 0-58.

26. Hyphantornis spilonotus. Spotted-backed Weaver Bird.

Ploceus spilonotus, Vigors, P. Z. S. 1831, p. 92 ; Smith, III. Zool. S.

Afr. Birds, pi. 66, fig. 1, (1841) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1887, p. 29.
Hyphantornis spilonotus, Gray, Gen. B. p. 351 (1849) ; Layard, B. S.

Afr. p. 181 (1867) ; Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 169

(1872) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. pp. 437, 847 (1884) ; id. Cat.

B. M. xiii, p. 468 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 39 (1896).

PLOCEID^ HYPHANTOKNIS 61

Description. Adult male in breeding plumage. — Crown and nape
golden-yellow ; back and wing-coverts black, each feather tipped with
yellow ; quills blackish edged with yellow or white ; rump uniform
ash-brown ; upper tail-coverts olive tipped with yellow ; tail feathers
olive-brown tinged and edged with yellow ; lores, eyebrow, sides
of face, ear-coverts, cheeks and throat black ; sides of neck and
under surface of body yellow, tinged with golden on the sides of
neck and breast ; edge of wing yellow ; under wing-coverts and
under surface of quills dusky, edged and tinged with yellow.

Iris deep red ; bill black ; tarsi and feet flesh-colour.

Length 7-00; wing 3-60; tail 2-60; tarsus 0-90; culmen 0-80.

Adult female. — Above ash-brown, the back and scapulars
streaked with dusky ; upper tail-coverts and tail light brown tinged
with olive-yellow ; crown and neck olive-yellow streaked with
dusky ; eyebrow and sides of face pale yellow ; ear- coverts olive ;
cheeks and under surface of body pale yellow, nearly white on the
abdomen and under tail-coverts, the lower flanks and thighs light
brown with a yellow tinge ; wings as in the male.

Young. — Above like the female ; below light ash-brown.

Distribution. — Eastern Cape Colony to the east of Port Eliza-
beth. It has been recorded from Grahamstown, King WilHam's
Town, East London and other localities. In Natal it is abundant
in the neighbourhood of Durban, Pinetown and elsewhere near the
coast, but becomes rarer further inland ; it ranges into Zululand,
Swaziland, the Transvaal and Portuguese East Africa, and extends
to Lake N'Gami, but its presence in Damara or Great Namaqua
Land is doubtful.

Habits. — This species is probably the commonest Weaver Bird
in the lower districts of Natal and Zululand. Like H. velatus it is
of a very social nature, remains in flocks all the year round and
breeds in colonies, often covering several adjacent trees with its
nests. These resemble those of H. velatus in being kidney-shaped
with an opening below, but as far as I have observed they are never
built among reeds, but invariably suspended from the outer twigs of
a tree or bush, and preferably over water. The nests are roughly
woven out of long green grass-stems, and, since the introduction of
the Australian Blue Gum and Black Wattle into Natal, are in-
variably thickly lined with the long narrow leaves of these trees.
Although the nests of this species are usually constructed without
any projecting entrance neck, one is occasionally added, and in the
Museum at Grahamstown is a nest ascribed to this bird with a

^^•^

62 PLOCEID^ HYPHANTORNIS

neck about twelve feet long. When engaged in building, these
Weavers keep up an incessant chattering, and if undisturbed, be-
come exceedingly tame and familiar, especially the males, who take
an active part in the labour by fetching the grass and helping in
the weaving from the outside of the nest, to which they cling with
their sharp claw^s, generally back downwards with expanded wings.
The female remains inside and assists by pulling one end of the
grass through, then pushing it back again to the male. Many
nests are abandoned before completion and others commenced,
probably by young beginners ; other nests fall down from the
twig to which they are attached giving way ; so that the ground
below a tree in which these Weaver-birds are building is often
covered with nests in all stages of construction.

The eggs of the Spotted Weaver Bird vary greatly in colour,
almost as much so as those of H. velatus. They are white, blue,
or green, frequently plain, but as often speckled and spotted with
brown and reddish-brown. They measure about 0'75 x 056 and
are usually three in number.

These Weaver-birds feed on grass-seeds and grain, as w^ell as on
insects, the nectar of aloes, the Australian *' bottle-brush," and
other flowering shrubs. The young are largely fed on soft insects,
caterpillars, and various larvae.

(- 27. Hyphantornis shelleyi. Shelley's Weaver Bird.

Hyphantomis vitellinus {nee. Licht), Sharjw, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr.

pp. 439, 847 (1884).
Hyphantornis shelleyi, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 464 (1890) ; Shelley,

B. Afr. i, p. 39 (1896).

DescriiMon. Adult male. — Above olive-yellow, the back with
black shaft-stripes ; lower back, rump and upper tail- coverts bright
golden-yellow ; wing-coverts black, edged with yellowish ; quills
dusky, edged with yellow ; tail-feathers olive, edged with yellow ;
forehead orange, crown and nape golden-yellow ; lores, feathers
round eyes, sides of face, front ear-coverts and cheeks, chin and
upper throat black ; rest of under surface golden-yellow, the chest
more orange ; axillaries, under wing-coverts and inner edges of
quills yellow.

Iris pale brown ; bill black ; legs and feet flesh-colour.

Length 5-50 ; wing 3-00 ; tail 1-85 ; tarsus 0-85 : culmen 0-65.

Adult female. — Above pale brownish-yellow, the back streaked

PLOCEID.E HYPHANTORNIS 63

with dusky ; lesser wing-coverts like the back ; rest of wing-coverts
and quills dusky edged with yellow ; rump and upper tail-coverts
olive ; tail-feathers olive-brown, edged with yellow ; crown pale
brown, tinged with yellow ; eyebrow and feathers below eye
yellowish ; ear-coverts yellow-brown ; throat and breast buff-
yellow ; rest of under surface whitish.

Length 4-80 ; wing 2-60 ; tail 1-75 ; tarsus 0-85 ; culmen 0-60.

Distrihution. — From Swaziland northward to the Zambesi,
westward to Damara Land. Eustenburg, Transvaal (Ayres).

Habits. — Unrecorded.

g33

28. Hyphantornis subaureus. Yellow Weaver Bird.

Ploceus subaureus, Smith, Proc. S. Afr. Inst. 1832; id. III. Zool. S.

Afr. Birds, pi. 30, fig. 1 (1841) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1887, p. 25.
Hyphantornis subaureus. Gray, Gen. B. ii, p. 350 (1849) ; Sharpe. ed.

Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 438 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 445 (1890).
Xanthophilus subaureus, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 39 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above, crown golden-yellow fading
into yellow tinged with olive on the back, wing-coverts and rump ;
some feathers of the back with brown centres ; wing quills olive-
brown, broadly margined with yellow and yellow-olive ; tail-feathers
yellow tinged with olive-brown ; lores and eyelids dusky, sides of
face, ear-coverts, cheeks, and entire under surface of body yellow,
tinged with olive on the sides of the chest ; edge of wing, axillaries,
under wing-coverts, and under surface of quills bright yellow, the
quills with dusky ends.

Iris reddish ; bill brown ; tarsi and feet flesh-colour.

Length 6-50 ; wing 3-35 ; tail 2-50 ; tarsus 0-85 ; culmen 0-70.

Adult female. — Resembles the male in plumage, but is less
bright, as well as a trifle smaller in size.

Distribution. — From the Kowie River in Eastern Cape Colony
through the Coast districts of Pondo Land, Natal, and Zululand,
into Portuguese East Africa, Swaziland, and the Eastern Transvaal,
Algoa Bay (Smith) ; Ladysmith, Natal (Reid) ; Transvaal (Ayres).

Habits. — These brilliantly-coloured Weaver Birds are very
abundant among the thick reed-beds that fringe the estuaries of
many rivers in Natal and Zululand, being in many localities by
far the commonest species. Like the majority of the Ploceince,
they are sociable in their habits and breed in colonies among the
reeds, many nests being often built within a comparatively small

64

PLOCEID.E

HYPHANTORNIS

Nest of Hyphantornis subaureus

area. To an ornithologist it is a charming sight to watch these
deUcately-coloured *' canary-hke" Weaver Birds during the
breeding season in November hovering over the reed-tops or
cHngicg to the stems while weaving their nests, all the time

PLOCEID^ HYPHANTORNIS 65

keeping up a ceaseless chattering, which is changed to a harsher
cry if they are alarmed. These Weavers feed indiscriminately on
seeds, small berries, and insects. The nest, more or less beehive-
shaped, is attached to the stem of one or two reeds, if to a single
reed this passes through one side. The entrance is from below and
at the side. It is woven from long strips of reed-leaves and is
lined with finer pieces of leaf as well as the flowering tops. The
eggs, three in number, are rather pyriform in shape, and white with
a few black dots towards the larger end. They measure about
0-75 X 0-58.

29. Hyphantornis jamesoni. Jameson's Weaver Bird.

Hyphantornis xanthops (nee Hartl.), Shelley, Ibis, 1882, p. 352 ;

Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 438 (partim) (1884).
Hyphantornis jamesoni, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 447 (1890).
Xanthophilus jamesoni, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 39 (1896).

Description. Adult Male. — Similar to the male of Hyphantornis
subaureus, but the yellow is tinged with green, only the forehead
being pure yellow ; the sides of neck and ear-coverts olive-green ;
wing-coverts and quills dark brown edged with olive ; tail-feathers
olive-brown margined with yellow.

Iris pale tawny yellow ; bill black ; feet pale brown.

Length 7-20 ; wing 3-75; tail 2-75 ; tarsus 1-05 ; culmen 0-80.

Ad^dt Female. — A good deal greener than the male ; the tail
feathers without the yellow edgings on the inner web.

Iris light hazel ; bill horn-brown.

Lengbh7-00; wing 3-35; tail 2-40; tarsus 1*00; culmen 0-75.

Distribution. — From Swaziland to Mashonaland and the Maka-
laka District. The type specimen was obtained by Mr. J. S. Jame-
son on the Umvuli Eiver.

Habits. — Similar to those of Hyphaiitornis subaureus. Mr.
Jameson, who met with this species on the Umvuli Eiver in
Mashonaland, on the 11th of September, states that it was i ot very
common. Those seen were feeding on the blossoms of the " sausage
tree."
5

66 PLOCEID^ . SITAGRA

Genus II. SITAGRA.

Type.

Sitagra, Beichh. Syst. Nat. pi. 79, fig. 15 (1850) S. luteola.

Like Hyphantornis, but the bill at the nostrils about equal in
height and depth, instead of being higher than broad. The genus
includes seven species of African Weavers, including four found in
South Africa. They resemble species of the preceding genus in
their general style of coloration and habits.

Sitagra ocularia.

Key to the Species.

a. Throat black ; a black streak through the eye ... S. ocularia, 3 , p. 06.
h. Throat deep orange, like the face 8. ocularia, ?.

c. Throat chestnut, no black line through eye S. xaiitlioptera, p. 68.

d. Throat yellow or orange-yellow,
a'. Forehead orange-yellow.

a^. Without any trace of chestnut on the head,

face or throat S. capensis, <? , p. 69.

b^. The head, face and throat tinged with

chestnut S. capensis caffra, <? ,

p. 70.
¥. Forehead, crown and back olive -brown.

c^. Size larger. Wing over 3-60 S. capensis, ? , p. 69.

d^. Size smaller. Wing under 3*50 S. capensis caffra, ?,

! 30. Sitagra ocularia. ' Smitfi's Weaver Bird. ,

Ploceus ocularius, Smith, Proc. S. Afr. Inst. 1828; id. III. Zool. S.

Afr. pi. 30, fig. 2 (1839) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1887, p. 23.
Hyphantornis ocularius, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 182 (1867) ; Bocage

Orn. Angola, p. 328 (1881).
Hyphanturgus ocularius, Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. p. 435 (1884) ;

Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 38 (1896).
Sitagra ocularia, Sharpe. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 427 (1890).

PLOCEID^ • SITAGRA 67

Description. Adult male in breeding plumage. — Crown, back
and sides of neck and face, ear-coverts, cheeks and under surface of
body yellow, with a golden tinge on the forehead, face, cheeks and
breast ; a streak through the eye and the throat black ; upper sur-
face of body, wing-coverts and outer web of quills olive-yellow ;
inner web of quills brown ; tail-feathers olive-brown edged with
yellowish ; edge of wing, axillaries and under wing-coverts yellow,
the coverts streaked with brown; quills below dusky.

Iris light brown ; bill black ; feet brown.

Length 6-50 ; wing 3-20 ; tail 2-65 ; tarsus 0-90 ; culmen 0-80.

Adult female. — Differs from the male in having the throat of a
deep orange-colour.

Length 6-00; wing 3-00; tail 2-50.

Young male. — Eesembles the female but is somewhat greener ;
the eye streak dusky; forehead, eyebrow, sides of face and lower
surface of body bright yellow.

Distribution. — From the neighbourhood of Grahamstown in
Eastern Cape Colony, eastward through Natal, Zululand, the Eastern
Transvaal and Portuguese East Africa to the Zambesi. To the
north of that river this species ranges through Nyasaland and
German East Africa into the Upper Congo districts and Equatorial
Africa.

Habits. — In the forest districts of the Eastern Colony this beau-
tiful Weaver Bird is a not uncommon resident. In Natal and
Zululand it is numerous but is almost invariably in single pairs, and
is somewhat shy in its habits. Most frequently it is met with in
the more open " Bush " or on the wooded banks of streams ; occa-
sionally it frequents shrubberies and gardens. It feeds to a limited
extent on seeds and small berries, especially those of the wild date
palm, but the bulk of its food consists of insects, particularly of
wood-bugs and small beetles that frequent the bark and leaves of
trees. Sometimes this bird may be seen scraping among the fallen
leaves under a bush in its search for insects. The alarm note is
harsh and several times repeated, the ordinary call a rather rapid
chattering cry. Of all the South African Weaver Birds this species
constructs the most beautiful and highly finished nest. Shaped
like a retort, with the entrance from below through a long narrow
neck, it is suspended from the extremity of a drooping branch,
usually, but not invariably, over water. It is closely and strongly
woven with fine pliable fibres, generally strips from leaves of the
wild date, and although it resembles nests of Sycobrotus bicolor in

68 PLOCEID^ SITAGRA

shape, it is readily distinguishable by its smaller size and much
neater and more artistic finish. Occasionally a second and even
a third entrance neck is added ; this is usually about ten inches long,
but a nest in the Albany Museum at Grahamstown has a neck up-
wards of eight feet long. Another nest of this species in the same
collection is entirely woven from black horse-hair, and is a most
finished specimen of bird architecture. These Weavers devote
several months to the construction of their nests, and frequently
abandon a partly constructed one to commence another close by.
Sometimes a new nest will be suspended from the old one of the
preceding year. As a rule Smith's Weaver Bird builds a solitary
nest, occasionally two pairs will build on the same tree, and on one
occasion I found a pair of these birds nesting in the midst of a
colony of the Spotted Weaver Bird.

The eggs are two or three in number, white, rather closely
spotted with pale red. They measure 0*72 x 0*54.

^-^

.1

^ yftrAj^ <> J<:^<Xt..>A^);;^A^. v^

31. Sitagra xanthoptera> Yellow -ivinged Weaver Bird,

Hyphantornis, sp., Kirk, Ibis, 1864, p. 322.

Hyphantornis xanthopterus, FinscJi and Hartl. Vog. Ostafr., p. 399

(1870) ; Sharpe, ed. Lmjard's B, 8. Afr. p. 443 (1884) ; id. Cat. B.

M. xiii, p. 444, pi. 13, fig. 2 (1890).
Ploceus xanthopterus, Shelley, Ibis, 1887, p. 25.
Xanthophilus xanthopterus, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 38 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above bright yellow, the feathers of
back and scapulars slightly mottled with greenish ; rump and upper
tail-coverts bright yellow ; wing-coverts yellow ; bastard wing and
primary coverts dusky edged with yellow; quills yellow, their
outer margins and tips blackish ; tail-feathers pale olive-brown
edged with yellow; lores, feathers below eye, front of ear-coverts
and cheeks as well as throat, chestnut-red ; rest of head and neck,
under surface of body, also under surface of quills and under wing-
coverts, bright yellow.

Bill black ; feet flesh-colour.

Length 6-00; wing 295; tail 2-00; tarsus 0 90; culmen 0-65.

Distribution. — Quilimane, the Zambesi Delta, and the valley
of the Shire Eiver.

0-i.xu>^ ^V^.'^-A^ e^4.-«--(f ^

?2

PLOCEID^ . SITAGEA 69

^ 32. Sitagra capensis. Cape Weaver Bird.

Oriolus capensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 163 (1766).

Ploceus capensis, Smith, III. Zool. S. Afr., Birds, pi. 66, fig. 2 (1841).
Hyphantornis aurifrons, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 179 (1867).
Hyphantornis capensis, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 179 (1867).
Hyphanturgus olivaceus, Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. 8. Afr. pp. 433, 846

. (1884) partim.
Sitagra capensis, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 430 (1890).
Xanthophilus capensis, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 38 (1896).

Description. Adult male in breeding plumage. — Entire head,
face and under surface of body yelloWj the forehead, sides of face
and neck, cheeks and breast tinged with golden, the throat with
olive ; lores and feathers about eyes dusky ; upper surface of body
olive-yellow, the back slightly streaked with brown ; wings brown,
the feathers edged with olive-yellow ; axillaries and under wing-
coverts ash-brown ; edge of wing yellow ; tail-feathers olive-brown
edged with olive-yellow.

Iris light red ; bill black ; tarsi and feet flesh-colour.

Length 7*25 ; wing 3'50 ; tail 2-30 ; tarsus 1-00 ; culmen 0-95.

Adult female. — Duller in colour ; head and sides of face and
neck like the back ; cheeks and under surface of body olive-yellow
tinged in places with brighter yellow.

Iris hazel brown ; bill brown.

Young. — Above and below brownish-yellow obscurely streaked
with brown.

Distribution. — Western Cape Colony, including the Cape Penin-
sula, extending as far north as the Orange Eiver, eastward to
Algoa Bay.

Habits. — This large and robustly built species is very generally
distributed, in flocks of from ten to fifty or sixty individuals, over
Western Cape Colony, and although it shows a certain preference
for the neighbourhood of vleis and marshy ground, it is also found
in very arid localities at a considerable distance from the nearest
water. Its flight is rather heavy and undulating. The Cape
Weaver feeds to a considerable extent upon seed and grain, but
at times upon insects. It is also fond of sipping the saccharine
juice of the Cape aloe and of various proteas, and individuals may
be sometimes met with with their frontal feathers stained and
matted together with the mingled nectar and pollen of these plants.

They build their large kidney- shaped nests in colonies, fre-
quently suspending them from the boughs of a tree overhanging

^ S2>

X' ^ G^i^y-^-lc^-r^j^C j^UZv^

i

70 PLOCEIDiE SITAGRA

water, but just as often over dry ground. If unmolested they prefer
a tree standing close to a house as a nesting site.

The nests are compactly woven with coarse grass or strips of
reeds and sedge, the interior being warmly lined with fine grass-
stems as well as the flowering tops. The entrance to the nest is
from below, a narrow bar at the inner extremity dividing it from
the interior and preventing the eggs or young from falling out in
windy weather. The eggs, four or five in number, are of a uniform
deep blue. They measure 090 x 0-66.

l)c) 33. Sitagra capensis caffpa. Eastern Cape Weaver Bird.

Icterus caffer, LicJitenstein, Verz. Doubl. p. 19 (1823).
Icterus olivaceus, Hahn, Vog. aus Asien, Lief. 6, pi. 4 (1822). ^
Hyphantornis olivaceus, Holub arid Pelzeln, Orn. Sildafr. p. 113

(1882).
Hyphantornis aurifrons, Gurney and Ayres, Ibis, 1878, p. 296 ; 1880,

p. 105.
Hyphanturgus olivaceus, Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 433,

846 (1884) partim ; Ayres, Ibis, 1885, p. 344, 1886, p. 290.
Sitagra capensis, subspecies A. S. caffra, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 431

(1890).
Xanthophilus caffer, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 38 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Eesembles the male of S. capensis,
but is smaller and brighter ; the head, sides of face and throat are
also tinged with chestnut-red.

Iris reddish-brown ; bill black ; feet pale yellowish.

Length 6-80; wing 3-60 ; tail 2-20 ; tarsus 1-05 ; culmen 0-95.

Adult female. — Eesembles the female of S. capensis in colour,
but is smaller.

Iris buff-yellow; upper mandible light brown; lower, straw-
yellow ; feet light brown.

Length in flesh 7*50 ; of skin 6*40 ; wing 3-45 ; tail 2-10; tarsus
•95 ; culmen 0*90.

Distribution. — From the neighbourhood of Port Elizabeth
throughout the greater part of Eastern Cape Colony, thence through
Natal, Zululand, the Eastern Transvaal and Portuguese East
Africa into Ehodesia, ranging as far north as the Zambesi Eiver
according to Dr. Holub.

Habits. — Very like those of the larger S. capensis ; the eastern
race, however, appears to feed to a much greater extent upon

PLOCEID^ SYCOBEOTUS 71

insects and the saccharine juice of various flowers. It pays con-
stant visits to the conspicuous scarlet flowers of the " Kaffir-boum,"
and feeds side by side with various Sunbirds on the nectar. I
have noticed this Weaver also feeding with Sunbirds and Gurney's
Long-tailed Sugar-bird on the honey of the Austrahan " Bottle-
brush."

Mr. Ayres remarks that in the neighbourhood of Eustenburg
several species of Sunbird and Weaver Finches, including the
present, frequent a common parasitic plant for the sake of the
nectar; he writes in the Ibis: ''About Potchefstroom the birds
of this species are much brighter in plumage this season (1886)
than I have ever noticed them previously " — probably because the
plumage of this Weaver is sometimes stained an intense orange
colour by the mingled nectar and pollen of certain flowers.
Occasionally this species feeds on figs and other fruit.

Its nest and eggs resemble those of the larger Cape Weaver
Bird, the eggs being a trifle smaller ; the nest is, however, frequently
suspended between two reeds and is then built of strips of reed-
leaves.

When alarmed this Weaver utters a loud " chur-r-r," at ordinary
times a cheerful chattering note.

CxenusIII. SYCOBROTUS.

Type.
Sycobrotus, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. i, p. 182 (1850) S. bicolor.

Bill as long as the head, the culmen curved to the tip, rounded
at the base, the lateral margins curved and slightly sinuated.
Nostrils basal, oval and exposed, shut in by a horny membrane, the
base just reached by the nasal plumes. Wings moderate but some-
what rounded, the first quill short, the second equal to the eighth,
the third longer than the seventh, the fourth and fifth equal. Tail
of moderate length, slightly graduated. Tarsi robust and strongly
scaled. Toes moderate, the inner shorter than the outer. Claws
strong and curved.

This genus includes four species of African Weaver Birds. They
differ considerably from the majority of the PloceincB in their habits
and are usually met with in pairs, never in flocks, in the forest
or thick bush. They feed very largely on insects, and build large
and roughly constructed retort - shaped nests, suspended from the
branches of trees. They lay two or three spotted eggs.

72 PLOCEID^ SYCOBROTUS

Key to the Species.

a. Feathers of crown and throat uniform dull black S. hicolor, p. 72.

b. Feathers of crown and throat with grey tips S. stictifrons, p. 73.

Sycohroius hicolor.

0 - I 34. Sycobrotus bicolor. Black-bached Weaver Bird.

Ploceus bicolor, Vieill. N. Diet, xxxiv, p. 127 (1819) ; Shelley, Ibis,

1887, p. 119.
Sycobius bicolor, Gray, Gen. B. ii, p. 352 (1849) ; Layard, B. S. Afr.

p. 183 (1867).
Sycobrotus bicolor, Cab. Mas. Hein. i, p. 182 (1850) ; Sharj^e, ed.

Layard' s B. 8. Afr. p. 432 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 422 (1890) ;

Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 37 (1896).

" Hinge Bird " of Natal Colonists.

Descriptio7i. Adult male. — Head, face, cheeks, entire upper
surface of body, tail-feathers, wing coverts and secondaries dull
rusty-black, the rump and upper tail-coverts tinged with olive ;
primaries black edged with white ; throat black, black mottled with
yellow, or yellowish, depending on the season ; rest of under surface
golden-yellow, deeper on the breast ; edge of wing mottled black and
white ; axillaries and under wing-coverts pure white.

Iris dark brown ; bill brown, the edges whitish ; tarsi and feet
flesh-colour.

Length 6-30 ; wing 3-50 ; tail 2-30 ; tarsus 0-90 ; culmen 0-80.

Adult female. — Eesembles the male in plumage.

Distribution. — South Africa : from Algoa Bay to Natal and
Zululand.

Habits. — This species differs considerably in its habits from the
majority of the Ploceince. It is never met with in flocks but almost
invariably in single pairs, generally in thick forest or bush, where

h^

T^

PLOCEID^ SYCOBROTUS 73

the growth is both high and dense. These Weavers attract atten-
tion by their loud and frequently repeated harsh "creaking" notes,
which have been not inaptly compared to the jarring of a rusty
hinge. Mr. Ayres remarks : " Their notes are harsh and very
unmusical, their ordinary song resembling the squeaking of a wheel
wanting grease. They are fond of climbing and hanging about
thick creepers and the foliage of trees in search of insects, much as
some of the Barbets do, which birds they seem to me somewhat to
resemble." In addition to insects, which constitute their ordinary
food, these Weaver Birds occasionally feed on seeds, berries and
small forest fruit. Their nests, shaped like long-necked retorts,
are suspended from the extremities of branches, frequently at a
considerable height and often overhanging a stream or open space
in the bush. They are rather large and are coarsely woven from the
tendrils of vines without any softer lining. A pair of birds will . ^ J^^
frequently work for three months on the construction of their nest.
They invariably build alone, never in colonies. During the month
of September or early in October they lay two, or occasionally three
eggs, of a whitish ground colour rather thickly spotted with pale
red. They measure about 0*75 x 0*60.

c ■ i 35. Sycobrotus stictifrons. Spot-headed Weaver Bird.

Symplectes stictifrons, Fischer ajid Beichen. Journ. f. Orn. 1885,

p. 373 ; Beichen. Journ. f. Orn. 1889, p. 281.
Sycobrotus bicolor, Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. 8. Afr. p. 432, pt.
Sycobrotus stictifrons, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 424 (1890) ; Shelley,

B. Afr. i, p. 37 (1896) ; Sclater W. L., Ibis, 1899, p. 285.

Description. Adult male. — Like the male of S. bicolor, but the
brown feathers of the crown and throat are tipped with grey.

Iris dull wine-colour (Francis) ; bill brown ; tarsi and toes
flesh-colour.

Length 630 ; wing 350 ; tail 2-20 ; tarsus 0-90 ; culmen 0-75.

Adult female. — Eesembles the male in colour.

Distribution. — From Inhambane in Portuguese East Africa,
where it '* is found all over this district, wherever there is thick
bush " according to Mr. H. F. Francis, northward to the Zambesi
Eiver, where Reichenow obtained specimens at Quiliraane and Kirk
on the Shire River, thence through Mozambique and Nyasaland
(Whyte), to the Rovuma River (Thomson).

Habits. — Similar to those of S. bicolor.

74 PLOCEID^ ANAPLECTES

Genus IV. ANAPLECTES.

Type.
Anaplectes, Beichenbachf.Singvdgel, p. 86 (1863) A. melanotis.

Bill moderately long, slender and pointed, the culmen rounded
at its base, nearly straight for its basal two-thirds, descending
towards the tip. Nostrils oval, exposed, and not reached by the
nasal plumes. Wings pointed, the first primary short. Tail
graduated, the outer feather shortest. Plumage with hair-like
plumes on the nape ; breast white.

Includes four species of African Weaver Birds.

Key to the Species.

.a. Bill orange-red. Quills edged with yellow. Head
and neck red in adult males, yellowish in females.

a.^ Without black on the ear-coverts A. ruhriceps, p. 74.

h.^ Ear-coverts black tinged with red A. gurneyi, p. 76.

h. Bill dusky brown. Quills not edged with yellow.
Head blackish ; back mottled with white ; throat
white like the breast A. a7igolen8is,\).ll.

^

Anaplectes ruhricejps.

36. Anaplectes rubriceps. Bed-headed Weaver Bird.

Hyphantornis rubriceps, Sundevall, (Efvers, StocMoIm, 1850, p. 97.
Malimbus rubriceps, Elliot, Ibis, 1876, p. 466, pi. 13, fig. 2 ; Sharpe,

ed. Lmjard's B. S. Afr. pp. 444, 847 (1884).
Sharpia ayresi, Shelley, Ibis, 1882, p. 353, pi. 7, fig. 2.
Ploceus rubriceps, Shelley, Ibis, 1887, p. 17.
Anaplectes rubriceps, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 411 (18£0) ; Shelley,

B. Afr. i, p. 35.

Description. Adult waZe.— Entire head, face, throat, breast,
sides of neck and upper back, coming to a point in the centre of

PLOCEID^ ANAPLECTES 75

lower back, scarlet vermilion, tinged with orange on the back and
breast in some ; scapulars black streaked with vermilion ; sides of
lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts grey, the coverts often
streaked with vermilion ; lesser wing-coverts olive-yellow ; rest of
wing dusky brown, most of the feathers edged externally with
yellow ; tail-feathers dark grey edged externally with yellow ; lower
breast, abdomen, under tail and wing-coverts white, the sides and
flanks grey, the axillaries and under wing-coverts tinged with yellow.

Iris red-brown ; bill pale yellow ; tarsi and feet brown.

Length 5-75 ; wing 3*25 ; tail 2-40 ; tarsus 0*75 ; culmen 0-65.

AdtUt female. — Above grey ; below white ; the head, face, neck,
throat and upper chest tinged with orange-yellow ; forehead and
lores dusky ; wings and tail as in the male.

Length 5-50; wing 3-10 ; tail 2-00; tarsus 0-70; culmen 0-60.

Yoimg male. — Resembles the female. Described and figured by
Captain Shelley as Sharpia ayresi in the Ibis for 1882.

Distribiitiofi. — Portuguese East Africa, Swaziland, and the
Eastern and Northern Transvaal, ranging into Matabili, Mashona
and Nyasa Lands. Is a resident and breeds near Komati Poort
(Francis), and on the Limpopo Eiver in the Transvaal, as well as on
the Tatin and Umvuli Rivers in Matabihland (Ayres). Mr. Whyte
obtained examples at Zomba and Mpimbi in Nyasaland.

Habits. — During the course of Mr. J. S. Jameson's expedition to
Matabililand in 1881 this species was found breeding, but as the
specimens collected were in immature plumage Captain Shelley was
led to describe them as belonging to a new species {Sharpia ayresi).
Individuals of the Red-headed Weaver Bird, like those of several
species of Sitagra and Hyphantomis, occasionally breed while still
retaining their young plumage ; Mr. Ayres adds the following notes
to Captain Shelley's description in the Ibis.

" This is by no means a common bird. We found it breeding at
the Tatin ; it makes a rough retort-shaped nest, which it hangs,
mouth downw^ards, from the outer twigs of rather tall trees. Some-
times a new nest is hung on the tube of the last year's structure. Mr.
Jameson found a nest to the north of the Umvuli in October, with
two blue eggs in it ; and at the Tatin we pulled down one of the
double nests, and Mr. Jameson, on trying to put his hand up the
tube, very nearly got bitten by a snake, which was lying in the
nest and had swallowed the old bird as well as her blue eggs."

The Red-headed Weaver is very like the common Spotted
Weaver Bird in its habits, and has the same noisy chattering cry at

76

PLOCEID^

ANAPLECTES

its breeding colonies. The two species indeed sometimes breed
together and hang their nests from branches of the same tree ; the
nests of the present bird may be distinguished by their long hanging
entrance-necks.

The accompanying illustration of the nests of three species of
Weaver Birds in the same tree is from a photograph by Mr. Francis,
taken near Komati Poort in the Transvaal. The larger stick-nests
are those of Textor niger, the Buffalo Weaver Bird ; the nests with
necks those of Anaplectes rubriceps ; the rounded ones those of
Hyphantornis spilonotus, the Spotted Weaver Bird.

Nests of the Buffalo, the Spotted, and Bed-headed Weaver Birds.

Q^T/ 37. Anaplectes gurneyi. 'Gumey's Weaver Bird.

Sycobius rubriceps {nee. Sundev.), Bocage, Jorn. Lisb. 1877, p. 275

id. Orn. Angola, p. 334 (1881).
Ploceus gurneyi, Shelley, Ibis, 1887, p. 17, pi. 1, fig. 1.
Anaplectes gurneyi, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 412 (1890) ; Shelley,

B. Afr. I, p. 35 (1896).

PLOCEIDJa ANAPLECTES 77

Description. — Male, not quite adult (type). *' Similar to A.
ruhriceys, but with yellow on the back, not red ; the head deep
scarlet, as also the throat ; a spot on the chin black, as well as the
base of the cheeks ; the lores, the feathers round the eyes and the
ear-coverts black ; " bill orange-yellow ; feet reddish ; iris brownish-
red (Anchieta).

Length 6-20 ; wing 3-35 ; tail 2 00 ; tarsus 0-75 ; culmen 0-70.
(Cat. Brit. Mus.).

Distribution. — South-west Africa ; Caconda, ranging into the
Cunene Eiver valley and Ovampo Land.

Nyasaland ; from the Tanganyika Plateau to the north-west of
Lake Nyasa (Shelley).

^v

^

38. Anaplecte% angolensis. Sharpens Weaver Bird.

Sharpia angolensis, Socage, J. Lisb. 1878, p. 258; id. Orn. Angola,
p. 558 (1881); Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 443 (1884)
Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 34 (1896).

Ploceus angolensis, Shelley, Ibis, 1887, p. 18, pi. 1, fig. 2.

Anaplectes angolensis, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 413 (1890).

Description. Adult. — Above chocolate-brown mottled with
white ; the feathers of the mantle and back white or yellowish-
white on the inner webs, brown on the outer ones ; scapulars
uniform chocolate-brown ; lower back chocolate-brown, the feathers
sulphur-yellow at the tips ; rump entirely sulphur-yellow ; upper
tail-coverts dusky-brown washed with sulphur-yellow ; wing-coverts
chocolate-brown, the median and greater coverts white at the ends,
forming a double wing-bar of which the median one is the broader ;
bastard-wing, primary-coverts and quills chocolate-brown with
whitey-brown edges to the latter ; tail feathers ashy-brown fringed
with whitey-brown, yellowish on the centre feathers ; crown of head,
sides of face, ear-coverts and sides of neck dark chocolate-brown ;
cheeks and under surface of body white with a wash of sulphur-
yellow, a little more distinct on the sides of body ; under wing-
coverts white ; quills below dusky, ashy along the inner edge.

Iris brick-red ; bill blackish ; feet brown (Anchieta).

Length 5-40 ; wing 3-25 ; tail 1-65 ; tarsus 070 ; culmen 0*70.

Distribution. — Benguela, extending into Ovampo Land.

78 PLOCEID^ TEXTOB

Genus V. TEXTOR.

Type.
Textor, Temminch, PL Col. iii, pi. 446 (1828) T. albirostris.

Bill rather long, cone-shaped, broad at the base, compressed
laterally, the culmen flattened towards the base and prolonged
backwards to a point on the forehead, curved towards the tip ; the
lateral margins sinuated ; the gonys long and ascending ; nostrils
basal, ovate, lateral, uncovered by plumes. Wings rounded, reaching
a short distance beyond the base of the tail ; the first primary about
half the length of the second, which equals the fifth and is a little
shorter than the third and fourth. Tail of moderate length and
rounded. Tarsi as long as the middle toe, robust and coarsely
scaled anteriorly ; the lateral toes equal, as long as the hind toe.
Claws moderately strong and curved. Sexes differ slightly in
plumage.

This genus includes three species of African Weaver Birds,
one only inhabiting South Africa.

*1 I 39. Textor niger. Buffalo Weaver Bwd.

Bubalornis niger, Smith, Bep. Exp. Centr. Afr. App. p. 52 (1836).
Textor erythrorhynchus, Smith, III. Zool. S. Afr. pi. 64 (1841);

Layard, B. S.Afr. p. 178 (1867) ; Holuh andPelzeln, Ornith. Sildafr.

p. 113 (1882) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. p 445 (1884).
Bubalornis erythrorhynchus, Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara Land

p. 165 (1872).
Textor niger, StricMand S Sclater, B. Damara Land, in Contr. Orn.

1852, p. 150 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 509 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr.

i, p. 34 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Entirely black, the bases of the
feathers white ; most of the feathers of the sides and flanks, under
the wings, parti-coloured, black and white ; primaries (excepting the
outer two) edged externally with white, their inner webs below for
their basal three-fourths, silvery white.

Iris hazel ; bill red ; tarsi and toes salmon colour.

Length 960; wing 4*75; tail 4-50; tarsus 1-25; culmen 0-90.

Adult feinale. — Browner than the male and duller in colour; the
face tinged with grey ; chin and throat whitish ; some of the breast
feathers margined with white.

Young. — Eesemble the female, but the feathers of the under
surface are edged with white.

PLOCEID^

TEXTOR

79

Distribution.— Yrom Portuguese East Africa through the Trans-
vaal and Mashona and Matabili Lands to Lake N 'garni, Damara
Land and Benguela.

It is not recorded from the district lying south of the Orange
Eiver or from Great Namaqua Land.

Habits. — Both Sir Andrew Smith, the discoverer of this large
Weaver Bird, and Dr. Livingstone, found it following the buffalo
for the sake of the numerous parasites that infest the hide of this
animal.

Textor niger (head and wing).

More often these birds search for their food on the ground not
far from trees or bushes, in which they seek refuge if disturbed.
They feed upon the larger insects, locusts, termites, beetles and
various larvae, occasionally upon seeds and berries. These are alert,
vivacious and noisy birds, fond of the society of their own species
and that of other birds. They feed in flocks and build in colonies,
their large collective nests being frequently surrounded by those of
Sparrows and other Weaver Birds. On the Limpopo River they

80 PLOCEID^ AMBLYOSPIZA

frequently build in a tree that is already occupied by the nest of an
eagle or vulture, possibly because the proximity of their powerful
neighbours affords them protection against the attacks of monkeys
and snakes. Generally from four to seven pairs of the Buffalo
Weaver Bird unite to build a common nest of closely interwoven
sticks and thorny twigs, oval openings being left here and there
which are afterwards lined with dry grass and used both as nesting
and roosting places. The collective nest, which measures three or
four feet across, is repaired and added to from time to time and
often lasts for many years. As many as six of the larger nests may
be sometimes seen in a single tree, each inhabited by as many pairs
of birds. The eggs, laid on the Limpopo in December, are three
or four in number, greyish-white streaked and marbled with several
shades of grey and brown. They measure about 1'12 x 0-90.

Genus VI. AMBLYOSPIZA.

Tyioe.
Amblyospiza, Sundev. CE/vers, 1850, p. 98 A. albifrons.

Bill very massive and deep, cone-shaped ; the culmen flattened
at the base, arched, ridged, with a narrow but deep groove on
each side near the base, extending backwards on the forehead
beyond the middle of the eye ; nostrils basal, lateral and rounded,
partly concealed by frontal plumes. Wings moderate, rounded,
the first quill small, the fourth and fifth longest. Tail graduated.
Tarsi robust, strongly scutellated anteriorly ; toes long and strong,
the outer two about equal, the hinder longer ; claws long and
curved.

This genus contains five species of African Weaver Birds ; one
only occurs in Eastern South Africa and ranges into Nyasaland.

\ '^ 40. Amblyospiza albifrons. Thick-billed Weaver Bird.

Pyrrhula albifrons, Vigors, P. Z. 8., 1831, p. 92.

Pyrenestes frontalis, Smith, III. Zool. S. Afr. 1840, pis. 61, 62;

Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 191 (1867).
Amblyospiza albifrons, 8undev. (Efv. K. Vet.-Ah Forh. Stockholm,

1850, p. 98 ; 8harpe, ed. Bayard's B. 8. Afr. pp. 449, 848 (1884) ;

id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 501 (1890) ; Shelley B. Afr. i, p. 33 (1896).

Descriptio7i. Adult male in stimmer. — Above, crown and back
chocolate-brown, the rump and upper tail-coverts blacker, most

PLOCEID^ AMBLYOSPIZA 8.1

of the feathers edged with buff, wing-coverts and quills black, the
primaries with white bases ; tail black ; forehead white ; lores and
spot below eye black ; sides of face, ear-coverts, cheeks, neck,
throat and upper breast chocolate-brown ; lower breast, abdomen
and under tail-coverts dark grey, the feathers with dark shafts and
buff margins ; under surface of wing black with a patch of white
on the base of the primaries.

Iris brown ; bill grey, the base of upper mandible black ; tarsi
and feet reddish-brown.

Length 7-40; wing 4'00; tail 2-90; tarsus 0-95; culmen 0'90.

Amhlyospiza albifrons ? .

Adult female. — Above reddish-brown mottled with dark brown ;
lesser wing-coverts like the back ; remaining coverts and quills
brown-black edged with brown and rufous ; upper tail-coverts dark
brown edged with buff ; tail-feathers brown-black edged with rufous,
the outer tipped with white ; lores and spot below eye black ; ear-
coverts rufous ; cheeks and sides of neck dark brown streaked with
white ; under surface of body white streaked with dark brown, the
sides and flanks tinged with reddish, the thighs brown edged with
white ; axillaries and under wing-coverts pale buff-red.

Iris dusky ; bill greenish with dusky tip ; tarsi and feet dusky.

Length 7-00; wing 3-40; tail 2-40; tarsus 0-90; culmen 0-60.

Distrihutioji. — From the Kei River in Eastern Cape Colony
through the coast districts of Kaffraria and Natal into Zululand,
the Eastern Transvaal and Portuguese East Africa as far as the
Zambesi, and extending to the north of that river into Mosambique
and Nyasaland.

Habits. — This curious species is easily recognised from every
other South African Weaver Bird by its sombre colour, its robust
body, as well as by its thick and massive bill which gives it a some-
6

82 PLOCEIDiE PLOCEIPASSEE

what ungainly look. Sir Andrew Smith remarks that it " inhabits
exclusively the forests, and never condescends to visit but the
largest trees, hence it is only very partially scattered over the
country. The only specimens which have been obtained within the
limits of the Cape Colony were discovered in the forests upon the
eastern frontier. About Port Natal, however, the bird is not so
rare, and specimens are readily to be obtained there at all seasons
of the year. It feeds principally upon berries and small fruits."

I have myself only met with this Weaver Bird on the coast of
Natal and Zululand, among the tall reeds that border many of the
rivers and lagoons. In many such localities it is quite abundant,
outnumbering any other species of the family. This species builds
among the reeds, and, its thick and clumsy-looking bill notwith-
standing, constructs a very neat and beautiful nest, shaped some-
thing like a flattened cone with the entrance at the lower edge.
This is attached to the stems of two reeds over the water. It is
woven with long pieces of coarse grass and strips of reed-leaf
without any finer lining. Both birds labour at its construction, the
male fetching the materials and working from the outside whilst
hanging by his strong toes head downwards with extended wings,
the female from the inside. Both male and female keep up an
incessant chattering as they pass the end of the grass stem from
one to the other through the walls of the nest. These Weavers
nest in colonies, and like many other species of the family become
very tame during the breeding season, so that one can easily watch
them from a distance of a few yards only. Although these birds
feed largely upon berries and large forest seeds they also take
insects, especially beetles and termites, as well as locusts. The
newly hatched young are fed on soft larvae and the pulp of berries.

Genus VII. PLOCEIPASSER.

Type.
Ploceipasser, Smith, Bep. Exp. Centr. Afr. 1836, p. 51 ...P. mahali.

Bill large, conical, pointed, compressed laterally; the culmen
slightly arched and prolonged to a point among the feathers of the
forehead ; nostrils open, not covered by nasal plumes. Wings
moderately long and rounded, the first primary fairly large, ex-
tending nearly to the end of the primary coverts ; the second
and third equal and longest. Tail nearly square at the end.

PLOCEID^ PLOCEIPASSER 83

Tarsi strongly scaled anteriorly, the sides laminated posteriorly.
Toes moderately long, the outer and inner equal, the hinder shorter,
the middle longest ; claws curved and strong.

Six species of the genus are described. They are confined to
the Ethiopian Eegion, the one best known, P.mahali, to the country
between the Orange Eiver and the Zambesi and Cunene. Two
other closely allied species, or races, inhabit the districts between
lat. 10"^ S. and the Zambesi and Cunene, and range a short distance
south of those rivers into South Africa.

Key to the Species.

a. Back, scapulars and lesser wing-coverts light

brown P. mahali, p. 83.

b. Back, scapulars andlesser wing-coverts reddish-

brown.

a\ Lower throat and breast unstreaked greyish-
brown P. rufoscapulatus, 1^.85.

6'. Lower throat and breast whitish, streaked

with brown P. pectoralis, p. 85.

Ploceipasser mahali.
41. Ploceipasser mahali. White-browed Weaver Bird.

Ploceipasser mahali, Smithy Bep. Exp. Centr. Afr. App. p. 51 (1836) ;

id. III. Zool. S. Afr. Birds, p. 65 (1841) ; Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 187

(1867) ; Gurney in AnderssorCs B. Damara Land, p. 166 (1872) ;

Holub and Pelzeln, Orn. Siidafr, p. 120 (1882) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard'' s

B. S. Afr. pp. 447, 848 (1884).'
Ploceipasser pileatus, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 187 (1867).
Ploceipasser mahali, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 245 (1890) ; Shelley,

B. Afr. i, p. 34 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Forehead and crown black; large
eyebrow, extending to the nape, white ; lores and cheeks black ;
ear-coverts, sides of face and neck, lesser wing-coverts, scapulars

84 PLOCEIDJE PLOCEIPASSER

and back light brown ; rump and upper tail-coverts white ; middle
wing-coverts brown tipped with white ; greater coverts black tipped
with pale rufous ; primary coverts and quills dark brown edged with
pale brown ; tail-feathers dark brown edged and tipped with pale
brown ; chin, upper throat, vent and under tail-coverts pure white ;
rest of under surface dull white, the sides of chest tinged with
brown; edge of wing buff; axillaries and under wing-coverts dull
white.

Iris reddish-brown ; bill dusky ; tarsi and feet pale brown.

Length 6'80 ; wing 400; tail 2-50; tarsus 090; culmen 0-65.

Adult feviale. — Resembles the male in colour, but is slightly
smaller.

Distribution. — From the Orange River valley northward to
Damara Land on the west ; throughout the Transvaal into MatabiU
and Mashona Lands on the east ; abundant in Griqualand West and
Bechuanaland.

Habits. — This large species is abundant to the north of the
Orange River among bushes and mimosa trees, but is rarely met
with in the open country. Of social habits, it remains in flock all
the year round and breeds in company, several nests being generally
built in a single tree. Rarely have I met with more pugnacious
birds ; the males in spring are constantly fighting, and so desperate
are their quarrels that the combatants frequently lie exhausted, side
by side, on the ground, incapable of further movement. They are
noisy birds, too, very " sparrow-like " in their manners and customs,
and keep up a constant chattering while searching for food. This
consists of locusts, termites, small beetles and a variety of small
insects, grain and seeds. The youDg appear to be fed on larvae and
small caterpillars. If disturbed when feeding they seek shelter in
the nearest bush or tree. In addition to their somewhat harsh call-
notes of '' chick-chick " the males in spring indulge in a song of
some sweetness ; Andersson indeed remarks that, in Damara Land,
" at the beginning of the rainy season this bird occasionally, though
rarely, sings so melodiously that I have seldom heard anything
more exquisite." The nests are large, roughly built, kidney-shaped
structures, usually placed near the ends of the branches of a mimosa
or other thorny tree. They are constructed of long grass-stems,
the blades and flowering tops being woven together the stiff stalks
project in all directions. During the winter each nest has two
entrances from below, separated in the interior by a narrow bridge
of grass, on which the birds roost. At the beginning of the breed-

^^^

PLOCEID^ PLOCEIPASSER 85

ing season one entrance is stopped up with leaves and grass, a
shallow cavity being left in which the female deposits two or three
eggs, about the first week in December on the Limpopo Eiver. As
soon as the young are on the wing the second entrance is unstopped,
and the nest is again used, both by the old and young birds, as
a roosting-place. These nests are annually repaired and last for
many years. The eggs are white suffused with pink, thickly
marked, especially at the broad end, with blotches and streaks of
deep brown-pink. They average 1*00 x 0-72.

42. Ploceipasser rufoscapulatus. Bed-hacked Weaver Bird.

Ploceipasser rufoscapulatus,' Bilttik. Notes Leyd. Mus. x. p. 238,
pi. 9, fig. 2 (1888) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 248 (1890) ; Shelley,
B. Afr. i, p. 34 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above, back, scapulars and lesser
wing-coverts reddish-brown, fading into ash-brown on the lower
back, rump and upper tail-coverts ; middle and greater coverts
black tipped with white ; quills blackish edged with rufous and
dull white ; tail light brown ; forehead and sides of crown black ;
centre of crown and nape ash-grey; eye-brow, ear-coverts and
cheeks grey ; lores, feathers round eye, upper ear-coverts and
malar streak black ; throat white ; lower throat and breast greyish-
brown ; rest of under surface pale grey ; under wing-coverts ash-
colour mottled with brown.

Iris dark brown ; bill, tarsi and feet horn-brown.

Length 6-20 ; wing 3-80 ; tail 2-30 ; tarsus O'SO ; culmen 0-75.

Distribution. — Ovampo Land, the Cunene River valley and
Benguela.

^^V 43. Ploceipasser pectoralis. — Stripe-chested Weaver Bird.

Ploceipasser pectoralis, Peters, Journ. f. Orn. 1868, p. 133 ; Sharpe,
Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 247 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 34 (1896).

Descriptio7i. Adult. — Like P. mahali, but the mantle is more
rufous ; the feathers of the crop are streaked with large dark brown
lanceolate centres, and the bill is black.

Young. — Back and edges of the secondaries more rufous than in
the adult.

Distribution. — The Zambesi Delta and Nyasaland, ranging
southward in Portuguese East Africa to Inhambane (Peters).

Habits. — Like those of P. mahali.

86 PLOCEID^ SPOROPIPES

Genus VIII. SPOROPIPES.

Type.
Sporopipes, Cabmiis, Arch. f. Naturg. viii, p. 332

(1847) S. squamifrons.

Bill short, conical and pointed, the culmen gently curved to the
tip and prolonged posteriorly to a point among the frontal feathers ;
nostrils entirely concealed by plumes. Wings moderately long and
rounded ; the first primary short, the second slightly shorter than
the third and fourth, which are equal and longest. Tail shorter
than the wing and square at the end. Tarsi short and rather
slender, scutellated anteriorly, the sides covered by longitudinal
plates which meet in a ridge posteriorly. Toes rather short and
weak, the hinder, outer and inner equal in length, the middle
slightly longer ; claws slender, curved and pointed. Plumage : the
feathers of forehead and front crown " scale-like," with black
centres and white margins.

Two small African Weaver Birds are included in this genus, one
ranging over the district between the Orange River and the Zambesi
and Cunene Rivers, and extending into the south of Benguela, the
other from West to North-east Africa.

r^,

Sjporojpvpes squamifrons.

44. Sporopipes squamifrons. Scaly -feathered Weaver Bird.

Estrelda squamifrons, Smith, Bep. Exped. Cent. Afr. p. 49 (1836);

Lmjard, B. 8. Afr. p. 199 (1867).
Amadina squamifrons, Smith, III. Zool. S. Afr. Birds, pi. 95 (1844).
Sporopipes squamifrons, Sharpe, Cat. Afr. B. p. 61 (1871) ; Gurney

in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 177 (1872) ; Bocage, Orn.

Angola, p. 321 (1877-81) ; Sharpe, ed Laggard's B. S. Afr. pp. 451,

848 (1881) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 407 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p.

33 (1896).

Description. Adult male in breeding plumage. —Above: forehead
and crown black, each feather with a white margin and black
centre, those of the occiput brown with pale brown margins ; sides
of head and face, entire upper surface of body, scapulars and lesser

%^ o,:q

(X.... r^y^^K

\y^'^y^;jy\..'^x:f

PLOCEID^ SPOROPIPES 87

wing-coverts light brown ; remaining wing-coverts and inner
secondaries black margined with white ; quills brown with paler
edges ; tail-feathers black edged all round with white ; feathers in
front of and below eye, chin and streak on each side of throat
black ; cheeks and centre of throat pure white ; remaining under
surface white, the sides of breast and flanks tinged with grey, the
breast with fawn-colour ; edge of wing mottled brown and white ;
axillaries and under wing-coverts white.

Iris light brown ; bill pink ; tarsi and feet flesh-colour.

Length 4-30 ; wing 2-25 ; tail 1-75 ; tarsus 0*55 ; culmen 0-40.

Adult feynale. — Similar to the male in colour, but smaller.

Length 4-00; wing 2-20; tail 1-50; tarsus 0-55; culmen 0*40.

Young. — Head light brown streaked with brown ; wing and tail-
feathers edged with dull white ; otherwise like the adults.

Distribution. — South Africa : from Northern Cape Colony,
Griqualand West and the Orange Free State northward throughout
the Transvaal, ranging into Matabili, Mashona and Bechuana Lands,
and extending to Lake Ngami, the Okavango Eiver and the south
of Benguela ; on the west coast in Great Namaqua and Damara
Lands.

Habits. — These pretty little Weaver Birds are very abundant on
the banks of the Orange Eiver in small flocks among the bushes
and mimosa trees that fringe the banks of the river. Although they
perch freely on bushes, they appear to obtain all their food, consist-
ing of grass-seeds and small insects, from the ground. They are
active and vivacious little birds, of quarrelsome dispositions and
somewhat noisy when feeding, as they keep up a constant bickering
with one another. They are very tame and fearless, frequenting
the houses and kraals to feed among the poultry and sparrows. In
winter they generally join the flocks of waxbills and finches. The
nest is always built in a thorny bush at a height of from three to ten
feet. It is an untidy-looking domed structure of irregular shape,
artlessly woven out of grass with the stalks left projecting in all
directions. The side entrance is concealed either by the bristling
stalks of grass, or by a handful of grass placed in the bush in front
of it. The interior of the nest is thickly lined, sometimes with
feathers, at others with the down of various plants.

On the Orange Eiver these Weavers build in March and April,
on the Limpopo in June and July.

The eggs, four or five in number, vary in shape and colour ; the
ground colour is pale blue-green, this is thickly marked with

88 PLOC^ID^ PYTELIA

blotches and scrawls of brown and rufous. The eggs measure
about 0-65 X 0-48.

-Subfamily II. ESTEILDIN^.

In the EstrildincB the first primary is minute, attenuated towards
the end and falcate ; the mantle is never striped at any stage ;
none of the inner wing-feathers are lanceolate ; nor are the tail-
feathers obtusely pointed ; the hind claw is rather short and
curved. The sexes do not differ much in plumage, nor do the
males assume a breeding-plumage differing markedly from that of
winter. They are mostly of small and many of minute size.

The sub-family EstrildincB includes a number of small finch-
like Weavers popularly known as Waxbills, Eoodebecs, Buddy Wax-
bills and Grassfinches. In winter they are usually found in flocks,
feeding on the ground on grass and other small seeds. In summer
they pair off and build small domed nests in grass or bushes. The
remarkable Social Weaver Bird, which builds and inhabits a col-
lective nest all the year round, is an exception. The common
Waxbill also sometimes builds a nest which is inhabited during
the breeding-season by several females or pairs of birds. At the
same time none of the Estrildince appear to be polygamous in their
habits, like many of the Viduince. With the exception of the Social
Weaver, Philetcerus socius, all the South African EstrildincB lay
pure white unspotted eggs. They subsist chiefly on small seeds,
especially of grass, but feed their youug on grubs and insects, and
in summer add insects to their own diet. In confinement, in
addition to small seeds, they are found to eat insects, spiders,
small caterpillars and ant-cocoons. The EstrildincB range over
Africa, India and Australia. More than ninety species occur in
Africa, and twenty of these range to the south of the Zambesi.

Key to the GeJiera.

a. Bill rather variable ; comparatively weak and

slender ; the culmen straight or not much curved.

Colour of bill in adults more or less red.

a\ Tail graduated ; breast yellow, barred with black

and white and spotted with white ; wing-quills

edged with olive-yellow Pytelia, p. 89.

6'. Tail rounded, the tail-feathers with broad ends
and always tinged with red ; breast and sides
usually red, with small round white spots ;
wing-quills plain brown ; bill not entirely red... Lagonosticta, p. 91.

PLOCEID^. PITELIA 89

c^. Tail graduated ; the tail-feathers with narrower
ends and not tinged with red; breast un-
spotted and not red Estrilda, p. 97.

d^. Tail square and very short ; breast and sides

barred with black and white 0, tygospiza, p. 108.

b. Bill robust and finch-like and blue-black in colour ;
the culmen more arched.

e'. Tail short and rounded ; breast white, the sides

mottled dark Spermsstes, p. 110.

f. Tail short and square, plumage almost entirely

brown Philetcerus, p. 114.

g^. Tail rounded; all but the two centre feathers
tipped with white ; head and throat in male
partly red Amadina,T^. 118.

Genus I. PYTELIA.

Tyjpe.

Pytelia, Swains. Glass. Birds, ii, p. 280 (1837)...,.. P. phoenicoptera.

Bill slender, cone-shaped and lengthened ; the culmen swollen
and slightly arched. Nostrils hidden by nasal plumes. Wings
rounded, the distance between the tips of the primaries and the
tips of the secondaries less than the length of the tarsus ; the first
quill very small. Tail short, graduated. Tarsi scutellated ante-
riorly. Feet very' small.

The genus Pytelia includes twelve species of African Weaver-
finches. Two species occur in South Africa. They frequent bushes
and rarely perch much on the ground, have a somewhat monotonous
song, and are gentle and confiding in their habits. Those species
whose nesting habits have been observed build domed nests of dry-
grass in bushes, and lay three or four white eggs.

Key to the Species.

a. Forehead, face, and upper throat scarlet -vermilion P. melba ^ , p. 90.

b. Forehead, face, and upper throat ash-grey P. Tnelba ? , p. 90.

c. Feathers of breast and abdomen with dusky centres,

each enclosing two round white spots P. nitidula, p. 91.

hOo 45.' Pytelia melba. Southern Bed-faced Weaver Finch.

Fringilla melba, Linn. Sijst. Nat. i, p. 319 (1766).

Pytelia melba, StricMand and Sclater, Contr. Orn, 1852, p. 150 ;

Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 176 (1872) ; Sharpe, ed.

Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 468 (1884) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 32 (1896).
Estrelda melba, Laijard, B. S. Afr. p. 199 (1867).
Zonogastris melba, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 296 (1890).

90 PLOCEID^ PYTELIA

Description. Adult male. — Forehead scarlet ; crown, nape, sides
of face and neck grey ; back, rump and wing-coverts olive-yellow ;
upper tail-coverts vermilion ; tail-feathers black, the two central
and the outer webs of the others tinged with scarlet ; wing-quills
dusky, the outer webs tinged with olive-yellow ; cheeks and throat
scarlet-vermilion ; upper breast and sides golden-orange ; remaining
under surface thickly barred with brown and white, the tips of the
feathers white ; thighs brownish ; under tail-coverts dull white ;
under wing-coverts mottled brown and white.

Iris red-brown ; bill brick red, the culmen and tip dusky ; feet
light brown.

Pytelia melba.

Length 4-80 ; wing 2-20 ; tail 2-20 ; tarsus 0-45 ; culmen 0-70.

Adult fe?nale. — Duller in colour ; forehead, cheeks and throat
ash-grey ; no orange on the breast ; abdomen less distinctly barred.

Length 450 ; wing 2-20 ; tail 2-00.

Young. — Eesemble the female, but the throat is nearly white and
the bill is paler.

Distribution. — On the west from the Orange to the Congo Eiver ;
on the east from Natal to the Equator. Kanges throughout the
Transvaal and Matabililand and extends across the Zambesi into
Nyasaland.

Habits. — Andersson writes : "This Finch is found sparingly in
Damara and Great Namaqua Land, and usually occurs in pairs ;
its favourite resort is low bush and old abandoned village fences,
whence the Damaras call it the * Kraal bird.' Its food consists of
seed and insects."

Mr. Ayres met with this species near Eustenburg and on the
Limpopo Eiver, in pairs among low mimosa bushes. He remarks :
** These beautiful little birds affect the dense thorn-bush in prefer-
ence to more open places ; they are generally tame and easily got
when found; one scarcely ever finds more than a pair together"
(Ibis, 1886).

PLOCEID^ LAGONOSTICTA 91

46. Pytelia nitidula. Hartlaub's Bed-faced Weaver Finch.

Estrelda nitidula, Hartlaiib, Ibis, 1865, p. 269 ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's

B. S. Afr. p. 472 (1884).
Pytelia hartlaubi (Bianconi), Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. 8. Afr. p. 469

(1884).
Pytelia nitidula, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 305 (1890).
Hypargus nitidulus, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 32 (1896).

Description. Adult. — Above olive-green ; the rump and upper
tail- coverts yellowish-green ; an anteocular spot, extending round
the base of the upper mandible, orange-buff ; wings and tail oliva-
ceous ; under surface of body pale olive, many feathers of the breast
and abdomen with dusky centres, each enclosing two white spots ;
under wing-coverts varied with olive and white.

Bill black ; feet lead-coloured.

Length 3*20; wing 1-75; tail 1-20; tarsus 0-50; culmen 0-30.

Distribution. — From Natal to Mosambique ; Durban, Natal
(Ayres) ; Inhambane, Portuguese East Africa (Peters) ; Mozambique
(Bianconi).

Genus II. LAGONOSTICTA.

Type.
Lagonosticta, Cah. Mus. Hein. Th. i, p. 171 (1850)... L. rubricata.

Bill as in Estrilda; the nasal orifice concealed by plumes.
Wing longer than the tail. Tail short and much graduated, fan-
shaped, the feathers very broad. Tarsi and feet as in Estrilda.
Plumage vivid, generally varied with various shades of red ; the
lower surface dotted with round white spots. Size very small.
The ** Euddy Waxbills," or " Fire Finches " as they are sometimes
called from their vivid colouring, are confined to Africa. Twenty-
one species are admitted by Dr. Sharpe in the Catalogue of the
British Museum, and five occur in South Africa. Two of the South
African species build domed nests of dried grass in thick grass-tufts,
near the ground ; but Heuglin states that the more northern
Lagonosticta miiwna builds an artistic little nest under rafters in
roofs, in holes in walls, and in crevices. All the Euddy Waxbills,
whose nesting habits are known, lay white eggs, from three to
seven in number. Birds of this genus feed on grass and other
small seeds, occasionally on spiders and small insects. Heuglin
remarks of Lagonosticta mi7ii7?ia : " The Blood-Finches are

92 PLOCEID^ LAGONOSTICTA

lovable, bold little creatures, which confidently invade the interior
of stable, cooking, or dwelling-house, in order to obtain a few
crumbs. The call-note is a sharp chirp; the song is similar, though
not unmelodious. I rarely noticed this little bird by day on trees
or shrubs ; they prefer the ground and resort to ditches, dung-
heaps, or places where kitchen refuse lies, and sit on walls, roofs
and windows, and they are very unwilling to abandon situations
to which they have taken a fancy as long as men reside in the
neighbourhood."

Key to the Species.

a. Breast and sides of body crimson.
a^. Under tail-coverts black.

a^. Head slate-grey, back brown, not tinged

with red or crimson L. ruhricata, p. 92.

h^. Head and back strongly tinged with

crimson L. jamesoni, p. 93.

ft'. Under tail-coverts brown, head brown ... L. hrunniceps, p. 94.
h. Breast and sides of body black thickly spotted
with white,
c^ Under tail-coverts black.

c^. Spots on breast and sides smaller and

pure white L. niveoguttata, p. 95.

d^. Spots on breast and sides larger, white

tinged pink L. margaritata, p. 96.

Lagonosticta ruhricata.

^^ 47. Lagonosticta rubricata. South African Buddy Waxhill.

Fringilla rubricata, Licht. Verz. Doubl. p. 27 (1823).
Estrelda rubricata, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 197 (1867).
Lagonosticta rubricata, Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. 8. Afr. p. 475 (1884) ;
id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 281 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 31 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Crown and hind neck grey ; mantle,
back and wings brown ; rump and upper tail-coverts crimson ; tail-
feathers black washed with crimson externally ; forehead, eyebrow
and feathers round eye crimson ; ear-coverts and sides of neck grey

r

PLOCEID^ LAGONOSTICTA 93

tinged with crimson ; cheeks, throat, breast, and sides of body-
crimson ; some small white spots on the sides of body ; centre of
abdomen brownish-grey ; vent, under tail-coverts and thighs black ;
axillaries and under wing-coverts yellowish.

Iris dusky ; upper mandible blackish, lower ash-coloured, pink
at the base ; legs and feet dusky.

Length 4-75; wing 2-00; tail 1-90; tarsus 0-60; culmen 0-45.

Adult female. — Duller in colour; the abdomen brownish-yellow;
the under tail-coverts edged with ashy. The ear-coverts grey,
untinged with crimson ; a crimson spot in front of eye, but no
eyebrow.

Length 4-40; wing 1-87 ; tail 1-75.

Young. — Eesemble the female.

Distribution. —South-east Africa to the east of Grahamstown,
ranging as far north as the Limpopo River. Natal and the Trans-
vaal. Not found on the West Coast.

Habits. — These Ruddy Waxbills are not at all uncommon in
many parts of the Eastern Colony and Natal, on rough pasture
lands, grass veldts, and about the outskirts of the bush. They feed
on the ground on grass seeds, and are generally in pairs, occasionally
in small parties, but they never seem to form large flocks like the
common " Rooibeckies." They have a gentle, twittering note,
uttered both when they are feeding and when in flight. The nest
is built in a tuft of long grass, and is well concealed, usually from
six inches to a foot off the ground, surrounded on all sides, and
covered in by the drooping blades. It is circular in shape, with a
side entrance, and is constructed of fairly coarse grass stems loosely
twined together. The interior is lined with feathers. The eggs,
from four to six in number, are pure white, and average 0*58
X 0-45.

I ^ 48. Lagonosticta jamesoni. Jameson's Buddy Waxbill.

Lagonosticta jamesoni, Shelley, Ibis, 1882, p. 355; id. Ibis, 1886,
p. 324 ; id. B. Afr. i, p. 31 (1896) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 283,
pi. 9, fig. 1 (1890) ; id. ed. Layard's B. 8. Afr. p. 475 (1884).

Description. Adult male. — " Very closely allied to L. rubricata ;
the red portion of the plumage paler and of a pinker hue ; the
white spots on the sides of the chest scarcely visible ; sides of the
head rosy pink like the chest ; upper parts tinted with that colour,

94 PLOCEID^ LAGONOSTICTA

most strongly so on the sides of the crown and back of the neck "
(Shelley).

" Iris dusky brown ; bill bright bluish-ash, with the culmen and
tip somewhat dusky ; tarsi and feet pinkish-ash" (Ayres).

Length 4-00; wing 1-85; tail 1*30; tarsus 0*55; culmen 0-40.

Adult female. — Is duller in colour, especially below ; under tail-
coverts blackish, margined with pink.

Length 3-90; wing 1-80; tail 1-20; tarsus 0-55; culmen 0-40.

Distribution. — Matabili and Mashona Lands ; Tatin and Umvuli
Elvers (Jameson and Ayres).

Habits. — A few individuals of this species were met with by
the Jameson expedition to Matabili Land in 1881 ; on the banks
of the Umvuli, amongst rough cover, feeding on grass-seeds, in
August ; and on the Tatin river, in pairs, in December.
/

m ^ 49. Lagonosticta brunniceps. Little Buddy Waxbill.

Estrelda minima, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 197 (1867).

Lagonosticta minima, Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 176

(1872) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. p. 476 (1884).
Lagonosticta brmmiceps, Sharpe, Cat.B. M. xiii, p. 277 (1890) ; Shelley,

B. Afr. i, p. 31 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above ; crown and nape brown ;
back brown tinged with crimson ; lower back, rump and upper tail-
coverts deep crimson ; wing-coverts brown with crimson margins ;
primary coverts and quills brown edged with olive ; tail black
tinged with crimson on the outer webs ; ear-coverts, face, throat
and breast crimson, merging into brown on the flanks, abdomen
and under tail-coverts ; axillaries and under wing-coverts silky
white tipped with brown.

Iris crimson; upper mandible reddish-brown; lower rose-red;
feet pale brown.

Length 3-50; wing 1-90; tail 1-40; tarsus 0*50; culmen 0-40.

Adult female. — Above; crown, neck, back and wings uniform
brown ; rump and upper tail-coverts crimson ; tail black, tinged
with crimson ; lores and slight eyebrow crimson ; ear-coverts and
face greyish-brown ; below brownish with numerous small white
dots on the breast ; chin and centre of abdomen huffish ; under
wing-coverts buff and white.

Iris crimson ; upper mandible dusky-red ; lower rose-red ; feet
pale brown.

?©7 ^.^kl^ (^^^ Ih:

PLOCEID^ LAGONOSTICTA 95

Length 3'30; wing 1-90; tail 1-40; tarsus 0-50; culmen 040.

Distribution, — From the south of Natal northward through
Zululand and the Transvaal to the Zambesi Kiver, thence to
Abyssinia, Central Africa and Senegambia. Bare in Damara Land,
according to Andersson.

Habits. — These little Waxbills are somewhat common in the
Transvaal between Potchefstroom and the Limpopo Eiver, in small
flocks, or perhaps more often in single pairs. They feed on the
ground, almost exclusively on grass-seeds, keep close together when
feeding, and are gentle and affectionate in their manners. While
hopping about on the ground they constantly repeat a soft twittering
note, which is changed to a sharper call when they take flight.
Like many of the South African small birds they breed very
irregularly, in the Transvaal both in summer and winter. A nest
taken towards the beginning of June was placed on the ground in
the centre of a tuft of grass. It was domed, with a small side
entrance, and was loosely woven from coarse dry grass lined with
feathers. It contained three white eggs averaging 0*56 x 045.

Cjo 50. Lagonosticta niveoguttata. Peter's Buddy Waxbill.

Spermospiza guttata {nee Vieill.) Bianconi, s;pcc. Zool. Mosamb. pt.

xviii, p. 326 (1867).
Spermophaga niveiguttata, Peters, Jour. f. Orn., 1868, p. 133.
Hypargus niveiguttatus, Shelley, P. Z. S. 1881, p. 588, pi. 52, fig. 2 ;

id. B. Afr. i, p. 32 (1896) ; Sharpe, ed. Lmjard's B. 8. Afr. p. 477

(1884).
Lagonosticta niveiguttata, Sharjpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 274 (1890).
Spermophaga nigro-guttata (lapsu), W. L. Sclater, Ibis, 1899, p. 111.
Lagonosticta niveo- guttata, W. L. Sclater, Ibis, 1899, p. 285.

Description. Adult male. — Crown ash-brown ; nape brown
tinged with crimson ; black and wing-coverts chocolate-brown ;
quills dusky, externally chocolate-brown ; rump and upper tail-
coverts crimson ; two centre tail-feathers dusky tinged with
crimson, the others black, the outer webs tinged with crimson;
lores, eyebrow, sides of face and neck, throat and upper breast
deep crimson ; rest of lower surface black ; the under tail-coverts
tinged with crimson, the sides dotted with numerous round spots
of white ; edge of wing dusky ; under wing-coverts white.

Iris blue-black ; bare skin of lids turquoise-colour (Francis) ;
bill bluish ; legs and feet lead-grey.

96 PLOCEID^ LAGONOSTICTA

Length 5-50 ; wing 2-20 ; tail 2-00 ; tarsus 0-60 ; culmen 0*37.

Adult female. — Browner than the male ; throat brown tinged
with crimson; breast brown slightly tinged with red and spotted
with white.

Distribution. — From Inhambane in Gazaland, where, according
to Mr. H. F. Francis, it is not uncommon, to the Zambesi (Kirk) ;
Nyasaland (Whyte) ; Malindi, the Usambara hills and Zanzibar
in East Africa (Kirk) ; extending to the Great Lakes of Central
Africa.

Habits. — Mr. H. F. Francis writes of the habits of this species
near Inhambane as follows : "It frequents thick undergrowth, and
apparently finds its food among the leaves on the ground, as it is
generally seen scratching about there."

V^i

51. Lagonosticta margaritata. Verreaux's Buddy Waxbill.

Spermophaga margaritata, Strickl. Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist, xiii, p.

418, pi. 10 (1844).
Estrelda margaritata, Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 198 (1867).
Hypargus margaritatus, Finsch and Hartl. Vog. Ostafr. p. 449 (1870) ;

Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. 8. Afr. p. 476 (1884) ; 8helley, Ibis, 1886,

p. 317 ; id. B. Afr. i, p. 32 (1896).
Lagonosticta margaritata, 87iarpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 275 (1890).

Description. Adult. — " The whole upper parts of this bird are
rich ferruginous brown, except the quills, which are dusky within ;
the upper tail-coverts and outer margins of the rectrices dull vinous
red, and their inner webs and apical portions black. The circuit
of the eyes, cheeks, throat and breast pale claret red, rest of lower
parts deep black, spotted next the breast and on the sides with
large pearl-like spots the colour of peach-blossom, of which two
are placed transversely and subterminally on each feather "
(Strickland).

Total length 4*75 ; beak to gape 0*45 ; to front 0-40 ; width
0-20; height 0-25; wing 2-10; tarsus 0-60.

Distribution. — In ''The Annals and Magazine of Natural
History" (vol. xiii, p. 418) Mr. H. E. Strickland writes: ''This
beautiful little bird was purchased at Cape Town, and was said
to have been brought from Madagascar."

Dr. Sharpe writes in his edition of " Layard's Birds of South
Africa" (p. 476) : " Mr. J. Verreaux, however, assures us that his
specimens, whence the figure in Des Mur's ' Iconographie ' was

PLOCEID^ ESTRILDA 97

taken, was killed by himself with a samputan (or blow-pipe) in his
garden in Staalplein in Cape Town. It has not occurred since to
our knowledge."

This species has never been obtained in Madagascar, and M.
Verreaux's Cape Town specimens are the only ones known.

Genus III. ESTRILDA.

Type.
Estrelda, Swains. Zool^Journ. iii, p. 349 (1827) E. astrild.

Bill moderately strong, conical, and broad at the base, with
the culmen sloping, and the sides compressed to the tip, which is
slightly emarginated ; the gonys long, and advancing upwards ; the
nostrils basal, lateral, and very small, usually hidden by the frontal
plumes. Wings rather short, with the first quill minute ; the
second nearly as long as the third and fourth, which are equal
and longest. Tail more or less lengthened, usually longer than
the wing, and rounded or graduated. Tarsi rather shorter than
the middle toe, slender, and covered in front with transverse scales.
Toes long and slender, the inner toe shorter than the outer ; the
hind toe long and slender : the claws long, curved, and very acute.
Plumage variable. Size small.

The genus Estrilda contains a number of small, finch-like
weavers of very variable colours, popularly known as Waxbills
from the prevailing red colour of their bills ; to the Dutch Colonists
as Roodebecs or Eoibeckies for the same reason. They frequent
the veldt, fields, and more open bush, and feed on the ground on
grass and other small seeds, in summer on small spiders and
insects in addition. Frequently in winter they congregate in large
flocks. They build domed nests of grass on the ground or in
bushes, and lay four or five white eggs. Several hens of the
common Estrilda astrilda are said to lay in the same nest, and
from eight to fourteen eggs are found in nests of this species. The
EstrildcB range throughout Ethiopia and Southern Arabia, and some
of the species have been introduced into St. Helena, Madagascar,
and Mauritius.

Key to the Species.

a. Wing shorter than, or not exceeding, the tail in
length.
a^. Kump and upper tail- coverts brown barred

with black and whitish E. astrilda, p. 98.

7

98 PLOCEID^ ESTRILDA

¥. Eump and upper tail-coverts crimson.

a^. Sides of face and ear-coverts black E. erythronota, p. 100

¥. Sides of face and ear-coverts grey E. incana, p. 101.

c^ Eump and upper tail-coverts blue.

c^. Sides of face blue ; throat and breast blue... E. angolensis, p. 102.
d^. Sides of face lilac ; throat and breast chest-
nut brown E.granatina,S ,^.\0A.

6^. Sides of face lilac ; throat whitish ; breast

tawny buff E . granatina, ? ,p.l04.

b. Wing longer than the tail.

d^. Throat orange-yellow E. subjlava, ip. 105.

e^. Throat black E.dufresnii, ^ ,^.101.

f^. Throat grey E. dufresnii, ? , p. 107.

52. Estrilda astrilda'. Commo7i Waxhill.

Loxia astrild, Linyi. Syst. Nat. i, p. 303 (1766).

Estrelda astrild, Swains. Zool. Journ. iii, p. 349 (1827) ; Layard, B. 8.

Afr. p. 196 (1867) ; Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 178

(1872) ; Holub and Von Pelz. Beitr. Orn. Sildafr. p. 126, fig. (1882) ;

Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. pp. 470, 849 (1884) ; Shelley, B. Afr.

i, p. 29 (1896).
Estrilda astrilda, Sliarpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 391 (1890) ; Butler,

Foreign Finches, p. 142, pi. (1894).
• " Eoodebec " (Eed-bill) and " Eooibeckie " of Dutch Colonists.
" St. Helena Waxbill" and " St. Helena Pheasant " of Dealers.

Description. Adult male. — Above, brown finely barred with
cross-lines of dusky ; rump and upper tail-coverts tinged with red ;
tail-feathers dark brown, their edges paler, their bases tinged with
red, the centre feathers obscurely barred ; scapulars, lesser and
middle wing-coverts like the back; the primary coverts and
secondaries more coarsely barred with darker brown ; primaries
uniform brown ; crown barred like the back ; a streak of crimson
through the eye ; ear-coverts light grey ; cheeks and throat light
grey tinged with pink ; vent and under tail-coverts black ; rest of
under surface very light grey tinged with pink, most deeply on the
centre of lower breast and abdomen, and closely barred throughout
with narrow lines of brown ; axillaries and under wing-coverts buff
very finely barred with brown ; under surface of quills dusky, the
inner webs grey.

Iris brown ; bill red ; legs and feet brown.

Length 4-75; wing 2-00; tail 2-15; tarsus 0-60 ; culmen 0-35.

PLOCEID^ ESTRILDA 99

Adult female. — Less tinged with pink below and generally
duller in colour than the male.

In autumn both sexes are less barred on the lower surface.

Young. — When newly hatched covered with bluish down ; when
fledged very Hke the adult, but with the bill black.

Distribution. — South Africa and Angola; introduced into St.
Helena, Madagascar and Mauritius. Very abundant throughout
the greater part of Cape Colony, Natal, the Orange Free State and
the Transvaal, becoming less numerous in MatabiU and Mashona
Lands. Andersson writes : "This pretty little species is common
in the southern districts of Damara Land, and in some parts of
Great Namaqua Land, as well as at Lake Ngami ; " Monteiro
describes it as being " very abundant in Angola, particularly to the
south."

Habits. — The '' Koodebec " may be found nearly everywhere in
South Africa, excepting only the higher mountains and the forest
districts, but is most abundant in somewhat open localities, such
as grass-pastures, fields in which plenty of weeds are growing,
gardens and the outskirts of towns and villages — localities in
which an abundance of small seeds are to be picked up. In
autumn and winter this species sometimes congregates in immense
flocks, often mingled with other species of Weaver Birds and
Finches. This, like the other Waxbills, feeds chiefly on grass
seeds, but also on the seeds of various weeds, on millet, and other
small grain. In summer they vary their diet with small insects,
the young being chiefly fed with small larvae, spiders, and soft
insects. When feeding on the ground, and also when flying or
going to roost, these little birds keep up a constant shrill " chir-
rupping." The male in spring has a rather loud *' warbling " song,
of six notes according to Dr. Butler. Great numbers of these
Waxbills are exported to Europe as cage-birds, chiefly from St.
Helena, where they have increased enormously since their intro-
duction many years ago; to such an extent is this the case that
they are now known to dealers in cage-birds as St. Helena Wax-
bills or St. Helena Pheasants. Layard writes regarding this
species : " They breed in communities, and it is said that several
inhabit the same nest, laying and sitting in it promiscuously, and
sometimes three or four together. The nest is a large structure,
composed of straw, grasses, feathers, wool, paper, rags, &c. It is
often as large as a stable bucket, round, and with an entrance
in the side. The interior is a mass of feathers, and the

^-YX^¥U<rf^' ^^^^-^0,A-M.vA^U-^

K/*

9

100 PLOCEID^ ESTRILDA

from eight to fourteen in number, are pure white." Atmore
remarks : " You know what a funny wisp of a nest it makes, and
how carefully concealed ; but how such small birds carry such
large bents of grass is a puzzle. The inside is very warm and
comfortable, and what may be called the framework of the nest is
very nicely contrived, so that all the ear-ends of the grasses are
woven together to form a pipe where the entrance is. The nest
was in a thicket of brambles and ferns, about six inches from the
ground. Even after the bird flew out it required a good search
before I could find it. There were twelve eggs in it (whether more
than one lays in a nest I cannot say, but only one flew out), they
were in all stages of incubation — two not set, and four or five had
young birds; so large I could not blow them."

Although several hens occasionally lay in the same nest, this is,
according to my own experience, by no means always the case.
More usually the nest is constructed by a single cock and hen, who
both help in the building, and who generally sit alternately on the
eggs ; but at night, and occasionally by day, together. The eggs
laid by a single hen are from three to five in number. They are
pure white in colour ; in shape usually elongated ovals, averaging
0-60 X 0-35.

c^ 53. Estrilda erythronota. Black-faced Waxhill.

\-\

Fringilla erythronota, Vieill. Nouv. Diet, xii, p. 182 (1817).
Estrelda lipiniana, Smith, Bep. Expl. Centr. Afr. App. p. 49 (1836).
Estrelda erythronota, Gray, Gen. B. ii, p. 868, pi. 90, fig. 1 (1849) ;

Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 198 (1867) ; Gurney in Andersson's B.

Damara Land, p. 178 (1872) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr.

p. 478 (1884) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1886, p. 329.
Estrilda erythronota, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 397 (1890) ; Shelley,

B. Afr. i, p. 80 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above, crown, nape, sides of neck
and back grey tinged with red and barred with fine lines of brown ;
lower back, rump and upper tail-coverts crimson ; tail black ; wing-
coverts like the back but more coarsely barred ; quills brown, the
outer webs with darker bars ; lores, eyebrow, face and chin black ;
below grey tinged with crim.son, and barred with brown on the
breast, merging into black on the under tail-coverts, which are
tipped with white ; axillaries, under wing-coverts and inner webs
of quills pale grey ; edge of wing mottled with brown.

PLOCEID^ ESTRILDA 101

Iris reddish ; bill black, bluish at base ; feet black.

Leogth 4-60 ; wing 240 ; tail 2-35 ; tarsus 0-55 ; culmen 0-35.

Adult /ewaZe.— Slightly duller in colour.

Youjig. — Browner, with less crimson in their plumage.

Distribution. — South Africa to the north of the Orange and Vaal
Eivers, ranging northward through Great Namaqua and Damara
Land to Lake Ngami ; very generally distributed in the Trans-
vaal, Bechuanaland and Khodesia, extending as far north as Masai
Land and Central Africa.

Habits. — Very like those of the common E. astrilda. In the
Transvaal during winter these pretty little birds feed on the ground
in small flocks, generally near bushes, to which they fly if disturbed.
Their food consists almost entirely of grass seeds. They have a
low, gentle twittering note, frequently repeated when they are
searching for food and also as they take flight. Towards spring the
flock break up and they remain in pairs until the following autumn.

Y^r 54. Estrilda incana. South African Grey Waxbill.

Estrelda incana, Sundevall, CEfvers, 1850, p. 98; Layard, B. S. Afr.

p. 197 (1867) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. 8. Afr. p. 470 (1884) ; Shelley,

Ibis, 1886, p. 829.
Lagonosticta incana, Sharjye, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 284 (1890).
Estrilda incana, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 30 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above blue-grey; the lower back,
rump, and upper tail-coverts crimson ; outer web of quills like the
back, inner web dusky, the primaries edged with grey ; tail blackish ;
forehead, streak through eye and chin black ; lores, face, and throat
grey ; breast and abdomen deeper grey ; under tail-coverts blackish ;
axillaries pale grey ; under wing-coverts white.

Iris red ; bill grey ; feet black.

Length 400 ; wing 1-95 ; tail 1-95 ; tarsus 0*60 ; culmen 0-35.

Adult female. — Kesembles the male in plumage.

Distribution. — On the east coast of South Africa from Natal to
Mosambique and Nyasaland. Not rare near Durban and Pinetown
in Natal and Eschowe in Zululand. Between Lake Nyasa and
Tanganyika (Shelley).

Habits. — Captain Shelley found this Waxbill nesting in Natal ;
he writes in the Ibis : " Although it is far from common at
Durban, on the 8th of March I took one of their nests containing
two pure white eggs. It was placed in a creeper overhanging the

102 PLOCEID^ ESTEILDA

footpath, and was easily reached from the ground ; in structure it
was very similar to that of Estrilda astrild, though smaller and
less compact, though made of the small materials." The Messrs.
Woodward met with it in Zululand, nesting in a small tree in the
open country. The nest, built of grass lined with feathers, con-
tained six very small white eggs.

I have on several occasions found the nest of this species near
Pinetown in Natal, built both in bushes and low trees. It is domed,
loosely constructed of dry grass and lined with feathers. The eggs,
from four to six in a clutch, are laid in December and March, for
these birds are double brooded. They are pure white, and average
0-54 X 0-42.

The Grey Waxbill is nearly always in pairs, is very tame, and
feeds on the ground on grass-seeds and small insects. Its note is a
soft "chirrup,"

m

Estrilda angolensis

<5. -•-•■■ ,. - / ,•

55. Estrilda angolensis. Blue-breasted Waxbill.

FringiUa angolensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 323 (1766).

Estrelda benghala, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 199, pt. (1867).

Mariposa cyanogastra, Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 179

(1872).
Mariposa phsenicotis, Holub and Von Pelz. Beitr. Orn. Sildafr. p. 129

(1882).
Uraeginthus cyanogastra, Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 473, 850

(1884).
Estrilda angolensis, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 402 (1890).
Granatina angolensis, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 29 (1896).
" Cordon Bleu " of Bird Fanciers.

Description. Adult male (Orange Eiver). — x\bove, crown, nape,
sides of neck, back and wing- coverts reddish-brown ; quills brown
with paler edges ; lower back, rump and upper tail-coverts light
blue ; tail dark blue ; lores, eyebrow, ear-coverts and cheeks light

/f.

PLOCEID^ ESTEILDA 103

blue ; below, throat, breast, sides and flanks light blue ; thighs,
centre of abdomen, under tail and wing-coverts light brown.

Iris reddish-hazel ; bill lilac, the tip black ; legs and feet pale
brown.

Length 4-75 ; wing 2-00 ; tail 2-10 ; tarsus 0-60 ; culmen 0-40.

Adtdt fejnale. — Resembles the male in plumage, but is a little
smaller.

Young.— AcGOvding to Dr. Russ the downy young are of a soft
blue-grey colour. At a later stage they resemble the female, '* but
are only soft blue on the breast, sides, rump and upper tail-coverts."
The irides, bill, legs and feet black. The change of colour takes
place between the fifth and eighth week.

Estrilda angolensis only differs from the common Estrilda
phcenicotisj Swains, of West, Central, and East Africa, in the male
not having the posterior ear-coverts crimson, as in the latter. The
females resemble one another.

Distribution. — Fairly common in Natal, Zululand, and Swaziland ;
abundant throughout the greater part of the Transvaal, as in the
neighbourhood of Rustenburg, ranging into Portuguese East Africa,
Matabili and Mashona Lands, and extending north of the Zambesi
into Nyasaland and Mosambique. In Cape Colony and the Orange
Free State in the Orange River Valley ; ranging northward through
Bechuanaland to Lake Ngami and the Okavango River, but not
reaching Damara or Great Namaqua Land, according to Andersson.

Habits. — These beautiful little Waxbills are usually met with
in small parties, but occasionally in autumn, after the young have
flown, in very large flocks. They prefer localities which are partly
open, partly overgrown with scrub or low trees, and are specially
fond of scattered mimosa bushes, in which they can take refuge if
disturbed when feeding on the ground on their favourite grass-seeds.
When frightened they rise with a shrill twittering to take shelter
in the nearest bushes. In spring both male and female sing not
unpleasantly. Although the adults appear to subsist entirely on
grass-seeds, the young, before they leave the nest, are fed on small
grubs and insects. The nest is invariably built in a bush, often in
a low mimosa, and is generally placed in a fork at a height of from
three to eight or nine feet. At first sight it looks like a ball of
dried grass carelessly thrown into a bush ; on investigation a small
side entrance, nearly concealed by the projecting ends of grass-
stalks, may be found, leading to the interior which is smoothly and
warmly lined with finer dried grass and feathers. Three or four

104 PLOCEID-E ESTRILDA

eggs are laid. These are pure white, and rather round in shape.
They average 0-70 by 0-55. Mr. Andersson found this Waxbill
nesting in Ondongo. A nest taken by him on the 2nd February,
1867, was constructed of grass, and had no internal lining. It was
built in a palm bush, six feet from the ground; the eggs were
five in number.

^:., , > ■ . ,

^H 56. Estrilda granatina. Grenadme Waxhill.

Frmgilla granatina, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 318 (1766).
Estrelda granatina, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 199 (1867).
Urseginthus granatinus, Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p.

180 (1872) ; Holub and Pelzeln, Orn. Sildafr. p. 129 (1882) ; Sharj)e,

ed. Layard' s B. 8. Afr. pp. 474, 850 (1884).
Granatina granatina, Sharj^e, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 403 (1890) ; Butler,

Foreign Finches, p. 130, pi. (1894) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 29 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Forehead and slight eyebrow blue ;
crown, neck all round, breast and flanks chestnut brown ; back and
wing-coverts paler chestnut brown ; spot before eye black ; sides of
face, ear-coverts and cheeks lilac ; throat black ; lower back and
centre of abdomen greyish-black ; rump, upper and under tail-
coverts bright blue ; wings brown, the under coverts reddish-buff ;
tail-feathers black edged with blue.

Iris red ; bare skin round eye reddish ; bill red at tip, purple at
base ; legs and feet purplish.

Length 5-80 ; wing 2-25 ; tail 2*80 ; tarsus 0-65 ; culmen 0-45.

Adult female. — Head ash-brown tinged with chestnut-red ;
throat white ; rest of under surface reddish-buff ; there is less blue
on the forehead and a duller lilac on the sides of iace than in the
male ; rest of plumage like the male.

Young. — Like the female, but browner.

Distribution. — From Griqualand West and the Southern Trans-
vaal to the Zambesi Eiver, the Lake Ngami District and Damara
Land.

Habits. — These beautiful Waxbills appear never to congregate
in large flocks, but are either met with in small parties of five or six,
or more usually in pairs. They keep much to localities covered
with low bushes, and especially with scattered mimosas, and gener-
ally feed on the ground between the bushes, often on bare spots, on
grass- and other small seeds.

PLOCEIDiE ESTEILDA 105

A nest taken in June, in the Northern Transvaal, was built
about four feet off the ground in a thorny bush. It is round in
shape, with a side entrance, and is loosely constructed of dry grass
lined with a few feathers. The eggs, three in number, are pure
white and measure 0*72 x 0'50. It is somewhat curious that this
deUcate-looking little bird should breed in mid-winter, when the
nights are decidedly cold, but I have frequently noticed the seeming
indifference of many of the South African small birds — including
some of the Sunbirds — to temperature. Many breed in mid-winter,
even on the bleak mountains of Western Cape Colony. Not un-
frequently the same species will nest again in the height of
summer.

The Grenadine or Violet-eared Waxbill is occasionally imported
into Europe as a cage-bird. It is said to have a gentle yet lively
disposition and a lovely song. Dr. Euss writes : ** The first living
bird of this species which was brought to Europe must have been
that received in Paris in 1754 by the Marquise de Pompadour.
She was known to be an enthusiastic friend of foreign birds, and
kept this Astrild alive for three years."

^--■. • dc.U^,

^(^ 57. Estrilda subflava^ Orange-breasted Waxbill.

Fringilla subflava, Vieill. N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xxx, p. 575 (1819).
Amadina sanguinolenta, Gray, Genera B. ii, pi. 90, figs. 2, 3 (1849).
Estrelda subflava, Gray, Genera B. ii, p. 369 (1849) ; Layard, B. S.

Afr. p. 200 (1867) ; Sharjpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 469, 849

(1884).
Sporaegmthus subflavus, Sharj)e, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 324 (1890) ;

Butler, Foreign Finches, p. 114, pi. (1894).
EstrQda subflava, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 30 (1896).
" Zebra Waxbill " of dealers in Cage Birds.

Description. Adult male. — Above olive-brown; wing-coverts
like the back ; rump and upper tail-coverts crimson ; quills brown ;
tail feathers dusky-brown, the outer slightly tipped with white ;
lores and eyebrow crimson ; sides of face, ear-coverts and cheeks
grey tinged with yellow ; below, orange-yellow streaked with
orange-red on the lower throat, barred with black and yellow on the
sides of breast, body and flanks ; chin bright red ; vent and under
tail-coverts strongly tinged with crimson ; axillaries and under
wing-coverts huffish ; edge of wing mottled brown and yellow.

106 PLOCEID^ ESTRILDA

Iris red-brown ; bill crimson, the ridge and gonys black ; legs
and feet flesh-coloured.

Length 3-80 ; wing 1-80 ; tail 1-35 ; tarsus 0-50 ; culmen 035.

The amount of orange-red on the lower surface of body increases
with age. An older male has the under surface of body, below the
throat, of a bright scarlet; the sides and flanks barred with olive and
pale red ; under tail-coverts deep scarlet ; sides of face orange-red.

Adult female. — Has no crimson eyebrow ; sides of face olive-
brown like the head ; under surface of body yellow, only the under
tail- coverts scarlet.

Length 3-50; wing 1-70; tail 1-20.

Young male. — Kesembles the female on the under surface of
body.

Distribution. — Locally distributed throughout the Ethiopian
Eegion. Resident in Natal and the Transvaal. Not found in Cape
Colony or on the west coast of South Africa.

Habits. — These very beautiful little Waxbills differ somewhat in
their habits from the common Estrilda astrilda. They prefer the
borders of streams and marshes, where there is a thick growth of
bushes and reeds, to the more open grass lands, and they are much
shyer and more easily alarmed. In Natal, where they are not
uncommon from May to December, I have generally met with
them in flocks of no great size, feeding on the ground on grass-seeds,
but taking refuge in bushes if disturbed. When feeding they keep
up a continuous chirping.

This species, which is known to dealers as the " Zebra Waxbill"
from its striped sides, is a common and favourite cage-bird in
Europe. Under favourable conditions it breeds very readily in
confinement and is wonderfully prolific. A pair in the aviary of
Dr. Rey, of Halle, hatched out fifty-four young in the course of a
single year ; not content with this, the hen laid an additional sixty-
seven eggs which were taken from her. The following account
of this species in confinement, by Dr. Euss, is from Dr. Butler's
" Foreign Finches in Captivity " : —

"The love-dance is comical; the song scarcely more than a
sparrow-like, yet not inharmonious chirp, repeated an innumerable
quantity of times in the early morning during the nesting season.
Nest in a little Hartz cage, with basket nest, or in a little lined
nest-basket, or in a very small Friihauf's nest-box open in front,
always high up : somewhat negligent, as compared with those of
the nearly allied Astrilds ; of strips of paper and bast, cotton threads,

PLOCEID^ ESTRILDA 107

fibres and hay-stalks loosely thrown together, arched over, with
a lateral, broad, and scarcely rounded entrance ; inside, on the
contrary, rather carefully lined with horse-hair, wadding, and soft
feathers. Laying three to four, even sometimes seven to nine eggs,
which are incubated alternately by the male and female for two
hours at a time. Nestling down yellowish-white. Expansions of
the beak yellowish-white. Young plumage bright yellowish-grey,
to be distinguished by the weak but clearly perceptible reddish-
yellow colouring of the croup ; little beak shining black ; eyes dark
brown; feet black-brown."

The eggs of this species are pure white, and measure on the
average 0*52 x 040.

^3 ^^' Estrilda dufresnii. Dufresne's Waxhill.

Fringilla dufresnii, Vieill. N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xii, p. 181 (1817).
Fringilla melanotis, Temm. Planches Col. ii, pi. 221, fig. 1 (1833).
Estrelda dufresnii, Gra^J, Gen. B. ii, p. 369 (1849) ; Layard, B. S. Afr.

p. 197 (1867) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. pp. 469, 849 (1884) ;

Shelley, Ibis, 1886, p. 330.
Estrelda melanogenys, Sund. (Efv. K. Vet-AJcad. StocTch. 1850, p. 97 ;

Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 196 (1867).
Coccopygia dufresnii, Sharjpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 305 (1890) ; Shelley,

B. Afr. i, p. 29 (1896).

Description. Adult male (Swellendam). — Above, crown and back
of neck grey ; back and wing-coverts olive-colour ; rump and upper
tail-coverts scarlet ; tail black ; inner secondaries olive tinged with
crimson ; rest of quills dusky, edged with olive ; the greater
coverts tinged with crimson ; lores, ear-coverts, sides of face,
cheeks, and upper throat black ; sides of neck and under-surface
of body dull whitish, tinged with grey on the breast, sides,
and flanks, with brownish on the abdomen and under tail-coverts ;
under wing-coverts buff; under surface of quills dusky, their inner
margins yellowish.

Iris red ; upper mandible black ; the lower red ; legs and feet
dark brown.

Length 3-80; wing 1-75; tail 1-50; tarsus 0-55 ; culmen 0-35. .

Adult fe77ioAe. — Differs from the male in having the face and
throat pearl- grey instead of black, and in being smaller.

Length 3-60; wing 1-90; tail 1-35.

Distribution. — Eastern South Africa ; occurring as an autumnal

^ " ^'^^-^--tl^^-^OA^ Jl''-VN/Q->O--0 L>-^^ C

108 -PhOCBlDM ORTYGOSPIZA

migrant as far west as the George District, and at Heidelberg and
Swellendam in Western Cape Colony. It becomes more common
to the east of Port Elizabeth and Grahamstown. In Natal and the
Transvaal it is a resident, and extends as far north as the Zambesi
Eiver, ranging into Nyasaland, where Mr. Whyte obtained examples
on the Milanji Plateau in November. It has not been recorded
from the West Coast or from Great Namaqua or Damara Lands.

Habits. — In Natal this pretty little species is, when not breeding,
usually met with in small parties of ten or twelve, feeding on the
ground on grass-seeds. When searching for food they keep close
together, and constantly utter a sharp, chirping call-note. If dis-
turbed they rise simultaneously with a prolonged ''chirrup " and fly
for a short distance to settle again on the ground. This Waxbill
breeds in Natal not uncommonly, but not, so far as I liave observed,
near the coast. Not far from Howick, at a height of about 3,000
feet, I have met with their nests in some numbers. Unlike many
of the Waxbills, they build in tall bushes and young trees, at a
height of from six to ten feet. The nests are rough-looking, oval
structures, with an entrance hole on one side, constructed of fine
dry grass. The flowering ends of the grass being woven together,
the stiff stalks are left projecting in all directions. The interior is
lined with grass tops, down, and feathers. The eggs are very small,
pure white in colour, and four or five in number. When first
hatched the young are fed on small caterpillars.

Genus IV. ORTYGOSPIZA.

Type.

Ortygospiza, Sundev. CEfv. K. Vet.-Akad.

Stockh. 1850 O. polyzona, p. 109.

Bill moderate and pointed, the upper mandible much deeper
than the lower ; the culmen arched and swollen at the base ; the
commissure festooned near the base. Nostrils nearly concealed by
nasal plumes. Wing longer than the tail. Tail short and square.
Tarsi scutellated anteriorly. Plumage : flanks and sides of body
brown barred with black and white. Size small ; wing about 2-10.

EstabUshed by Sundevall for the reception of two African
Weaver Finches, of which one is fairly common in many parts of
South Africa. They feed much on the ground on small seeds ; are
generally, when not breeding, in flocks, and have much the habits
of the Waxbills. They build loosely constructed domed nests in
tufts of grass, of dry grass lined with feathers, and lay white eggs.

PLOCEID^ OKTYGOSEIZA 109

59. Ortygospiza polyzona. Bar-hreasted Weaver Finch.

Fringilla polyzona, Temm. PI, Col. ii. pi. 221, fig. 3 (1823).

Estrelda polyzona, Des Murs, Lefebvre's Vog. Abyss, p. 117 (1845) ;

Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 198 (1867).
Ortygospiza polyzona, Sundev. (Efv. K. Vet.-AJcad. ForJi. StocJch.,

1850, p. 98 ; Sliarpe, ed. Layard' s B. 8. Afr. p. 457 (1884) ; id.

Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 269 (1890); Shelley, Ibis, 1886, p. 337; id. B.

Afr. i, p. 28 (1896).

Ortygospiza polyzona.

Description. Adult male. — Above brown slightly mottled with
darker brown ; wings and tail brown ; the outer primary edged with
white, the coverts and secondaries with grey ; the outer tail-feather
edged with white, the next with a white streak ; forehead blackish ;
eyebrow and streak below eye white ; sides of neck and ear-coverts
grey-brown ; cheeks dusky ; chin white ; throat black ; upper breast
grey barred with black and white, merging into light chestnut on
the lower breast and buff on the abdomen ; sides and flanks grey-
brown barred with black and white ; lower tail-coverts buff streaked
with dark brown ; axillaries and under wing-coverts buff ; under
surface of quills dusky with pale inner margins.

Iris bright hazel ; bill red ; legs and feet very light brown.

Length 3-60; wing 2-00; tail 1-20; culmen 0-60; tarsus 0-40.

Adult female. — Eesembles the adult male, but the black mark-
ings on the head and throat of the former are replaced by greyish-
brown ; the lower surface of the body is paler, and the breast and
sides are barred with brown and dull white.

Length 3-50 ; wiug 2-00 ; tail 1-20.

Distrihution. — This little species has a very extensive range in
Africa ; on the east coast from Abyssinia to Eastern Cape Colony,
on the west coast from Senegal to Angola. In South Africa it is
fairly common in the north-east of Cape Colony, in the neighbour-
hoods of Colesberg and Eland's Post. In the Orange Free State
and in the higher part of Natal it is resident and common all the
year round ; it is rather more local but still a common species in

O ■

110 PLOCEIDiE SPEEMESTES

many parts of the Transvaal, but becomes rarer to the north of
the Limpopo River, in Matabili and Mashona Lands.

Habits. — These pretty little birds are usually met with in small
flocks, but occasionally in single pairs, on open grassy flats. Here
they feed on the ground, under the grass, on the fallen seeds. If
disturbed they rise suddenly, with a curious metallic "chirp," fly a
short distance and settle again directly on the ground without first
perching on bushes or weeds. As a rule their flight is rapid and
direct, but they sometimes rise with their usual sharp cry and fall
again on the spot from which they rose. Mr. T. Ayres gives the
following account of the nest, found near Potchefstroom on the
30th of April, in the Ihis for 1878, p. 297 : " This pretty little fellow
I shot as he rose from the nest, where he had evidently been doing
duty for his wife, by sitting on the eggs in her absence. The nest
was a very rough structure, placed on the ground amongst the grass
and not easily seen, from its being composed of dead blades of
grass ; it was lined with a few coarse feathers, and in shape was
much like the nests of some of the Sunbirds, with a projecting
eave over the entrance, but all very rough. The eggs were five in
number and pure white ; length, 0-54 ; breadth, 0-47. Eggs in the
South African Museum at Cape Town are rounded ovates, without
gloss, and pure white. They average 0*62 x 0-48.

Genus V. SPERMESTES.

Type.
Spermestes, Swainson, B. W. Afr. i, p. 201 (1837) ...S. cucullatus.

Bill short, thick, the culmen rounded, the cutting edge of the
mandible nearly straight; the nasal orifice concealed by plumes.
Tail short, not as long as the wing, and square. Tarsi scutellated
anteriorly, the feet long and slender, the claws long and sharp.
Plumage of contrasting colours, more or less black and white.

Nine species of African Weaver Finches are included in this
genus, three ranging into South Africa. Several of them are regularly
exported to Europe as cage-birds, and are known to dealers as
" Mannikins." They breed freely in confinement. They feed on
small seeds, resemble the Finches in their general habits, but build
domed nests in bushes and trees, and lay white eggs.

PLOCEIDiE SPEEMESTES 111

Key to the Species.

a. Larger; wing exceeding 2*25 S.fringiUoides, ip.lll.

b. Smaller ; wing under 2-00.

a\ Back brown ; a patch of glossy green on the

scapulars..., S. scutafus, p. 112.

fe^ Back chestnut, contrasting with the black

head S. nigriceps, p. 113.

9y^

Spermestes fringilloides.

60. Spermestes fringilloides. Pied Weaver Finch.

Ploceus fringilloides, Lafr. Mag. de Zool. 1835, pi. 48.

Spermestes fringilloides, Hartlaub, Orn. W. Afr. p. 147 (1857) ; Shelley,

Ibis, 1886, p. 308 ; id. B. Afr. i. p. 28 (1896).
Amaurestes fringilloides, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 267 (1890) ; Butler,

Foreign Finches, p. 264, pi. <?, ? (1894).

Description. Adult female. — Head, nape, sides of neck and face,
cheeks and throat glossy black ; back and wings brown, the upper
back tinged with chocolate-colour and dotted with small round spots
of yellow, some of the lesser wing-coverts with white shafts ; rump,
upper tail-coverts and tail black ; under surface of body white,
with a patch of black on each side of chest, of rufous on each flank,
the sides and flanks streaked with black; outer aspect of thighs
black; the abdomen, flanks and under tail-coverts tinged with pale
rufous ; axillaries and under tail-coverts buff.

Iris dark red-brown ; upper mandible blackish, the lower horn-
blue ; legs and feet blue-black.

Length 510; wing 2*40; tail 1-60; tarsus 0-60; culmen 0*60.

Adult male. — Eesembles the female in plumage, but the black
patch on each side of the chest is larger.

Distribution. — A resident in Natal, Zululand, Portuguese East
Africa and the Eastern Transvaal, extending northward into
Nyasaland and German East Africa as far as Zanzibar, and west-
ward into Bechuanaland. In West Africa this species is recorded
from Senegambia and the Gambia River district.

<(0

112 PLOCEID^ SPERMESTES

Habits. — This species is frequently kept in captivity in Europe,
and is known to dealers and bird fanciers as the " Magpie Manni-
kin," from its contrasting colours of black and white.

I have only occasionally met with this Weaver Finch, nor can
I find any record of its habits in a state of nature. The following
account of the caged bird by Dr. Euss is from Dr. Butler's '* Foreign
Finches in Captivity."

" The pair is always inseparable, and the male performs precisely
the humming, hopping love- dance of the Little Pie" (Bronze
Mannikin, S. cucullata).

" The nest is constructed in any kind of cavity or even openly in
a bush, in the latter case tolerably skilfully built in a rounded form
and with a narrow lateral entrance hole, of bast, thread and stalks,
and lined with blades of grass, as well as little soft rags, wadding,
&c. The laying consists of four to six pure white eggs. The young
plumage above is dull uniform chocolate-brown, below whitish grey-
brown ; beak black ; feet blackish-brown. The change of colour
begins in about the sixth week, in that the plumage above grows
darker and below lighter until finally pure white. After the first
year the feathers of the head first show the metallic gloss, and then
also the yellow-brown spot on the sides, which is very gradually
developed, is fully defined. Many pairs nest readily and produc-
tively ; others on the contrary, year in year out, make no attempt
at nest building."

The Pied Weaver Finches feed in small parties, on grass and
other small seeds ; they are fond of dusting themselves, like sparrows,
on a road or other bare spot.

61. Spermestes scutatus. Hooded Weaver Finch.

Coccothraustes scutatus, Heuglin, Syst. Uebers, p. 39 (1856).
Spermestes scutatus, Heuglhi, Journ. f. Oimith. 1863, p. 18 ;

SJiarpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 265 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 28 (1896).
Spermestes cucullata {nee Swains), Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr.

p. 456 (1884) ; Shelley, P. Z. S. 1881, p. 587.

Description. Adult male. — Above ash-brown, the lower back
and rump barred with brown and whitish ; scapulars steel-green ;
lesser wing-coverts brown glossed with green ; remaining coverts
and quills brown edged with grey or white ; upper tail- coverts a/sh-
colour ; tail blackish ; crown glossy steel-green ; nape brown ; lores,
feathers about eyes, sides of face, ear-coverts, cheeks and throat

PLOCEID-E SPERMESTES 113

blackish glossed with green and purple ; sides of neck brown ; upper
breast brownish-black ; lower breast and abdomen pure white, a
black patch on the sides of body ; under tail-coverts white slightly
barred with wavy lines of brown ; edge of wing dusky ; axillaries
and under wing-coverts buff.

Iris brown ; upper mandible black, the lower ash-colour ; legs
and feet dark brown.

Length 3-60 ; wing 1-90 ; tail 1-20 ; tarsus 0-50 ; culmen 040.

Adult female. — Similar to the adult male in plumage.

Young. — Above chocolate- brown ; wings dusky-brown ; crown,
sides of face and ear-coverts sooty-brown; cheeks and throat ash-
brown ; abdomen dull white ; remaining under surface pale reddish-
brown.

Distribution. — An uncertain and irregular migrant to Eastern
Cape Colony, but a resident in Natal, ranging northward through
the Transvaal to the Zambesi, thence through Nyasaland to the
Congo Eegion, and as far north as 16° N. Lat. Found also in the
Comoro Islands.

Habits. — These pretty little Weaver Finches are in Natal usually
met with in small parties of from six to a dozen in the. more open
"Bush" as well as in gardens. They spend much of their time
on the ground searching for small seeds, but frequently perch on
bushes and occasionally on tall trees. They are shyer than the
majority of the small Weaver Finches, and if disturbed once or
twice fly off to a distance. Their note is a soft and gentle twitter.
A nest found near Pinetown in November was built near the ex-
tremity of the lower horizontal limb of a large tree, at the edge of
a clearing in the " Bush." It was about ten feet above the ground
and was domed, with a smaJl side opening. It was somewhat
loosely built of fine dry grass lined with the soft flowering tops.
The eggs, four in number, are pure white and measure 0*52 x 0-45.

62. Spermestes nigriceps. Bufous-backed Wmwr Finch.

Spermestes nigriceps, Cassin, Proc. Pliilad. Acad. 1852, p. 185 ;

Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 263 (1890); Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 28

(1896).
Spermestes rufodorsalis, Peters, Jour7i. f. Ornith, 1863, p. 401 ; Sharjje,

ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 456 (1884) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1886, p. 309.

Description, Adult 7nale. — Above chestnut red ; rump and
upper tail-coverts black, spotted and barred with white ; least
8

114 PLOCEID^ PHILET^BUS

wing-coverts and inner secondaries like the back, the others
browner, the middle with pale ends ; primary-coverts and quills
blackish, the coverts edged with chestnut, the outer webs of the
quills dotted with white ; tail black ; crown, nape, sides of face
and neck, cheeks, throat and upper chest black ; lower breast,
abdomen and under tail-coverts white ; sides and flanks black,
spotted and barred with white ; thighs externally black ; axillaries
and under wing-coverts white; edge of wing mottled black and
white.

Iris brown ; bill bluish ; legs and feet black.

Length 3'50 ; wing 1*85 ; tail 1-20; tarsus 0-50 ; culmen 0-35.

Adult female. — Eesembles the male.

Distribution. — On the east coast of Africa from Zanzibar to
Natal (Durban in August) ; North Nyasaland, June (Whyte).

Habits. — Like those of S. scutatus.

Genus VI. PHILETiERUS.

Type.
Philetairus, Srnith, Gharlesworth's Mag. 1837, p. 536 P. socius.

Bill of moderate length, conical and pointed, somewhat deep
at the base, the sides compressed, the culmen slightly arched from
the base, the lateral margins sinuated. Nostrils exposed and free
from nasal plumes ; wings moderate, reaching to about the middle

PhiletcBrus socius.

of the tail ; the first quill very short ; the second, third and fourth
nearly equal and longest. Tail shorter than the wing and slightly
rounded. Tarsi strong, scutellated anteriorly. Toes moderate,
the outer and inner equal. Claws much curved and sharp.

The genus Philetcerus includes four species of African Weaver
Finches, including the well-known South African Social Weaver
Finch, the wonderful collective nest of which, sometimes containing

PLOCEIDJS PHILET^EUS 115

several waggon-loads of material, and as large as a moderately-
sized haystack, has been so frequently described and. illustrated by
African travellers.

63. Philetaerus socius. Social Weaver Bird.

Loxia socia, Lath. Ind. Orn. i, p. 381 (1790).

Philetaerus lepidus, Smith in Charlesw. Mag. 1837, p. 586 ; id. III.

Zool. S. Afr., Birds, pi. 8 (1838).
Philetaerus socius, Laijard, B. S. Afr. p. 186 (1867) ; Gurney in

Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 167 (1872) ; Holub and Pelzeln,

Orn. Siidafr. p. 119 (1882).
Philoetaerus socius, Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 449 (1884).
Philaeterus socius, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 249 (1890) ; Shelley,

B. Afr. i, p. 27 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above brown, the feathers of the
nape and upper back edged with buff and with a subterminal
margin of black ; rump and upper tail-coverts pale brown, the
feathers margined with white ; two centre tail-feathers light brown ;
rest of tail-feathers brown externally and at the tips, blackish in-
ternally, a spot of white at the end of inner web ; wing-quills
brown with light edges ; crown uniform brown ; eyelid white ;
lores, feathers in front of eye and fore cheeks, chin and upper
throat black ; sides of face, ear-coverts, hind cheeks and under
surface of body pale brown ; the sides of neck with scale-like
markings like the back ; a patch of feathers on each side black
with whitish margins ; axillaries and under wing-coverts pale
brown.

Iris dark brown ; bill horn-colour ; legs and feet light brown.

Length 5-50 ; wing 290 ; tail 1-75 ; tarsus 0-80 ; culmen 0-50.

Adult female. — Eesembles the male in colour.

Young. — More distinctly mottled above, the feathers edged
with greyish-brown ; crown with small spots of black ; the mottling
on the sides of body less distinct than in the adults.

Distribution. — From about 20° South Latitude southward
to the valley of the Orange Eiver, ranging a few miles south of
that river into Cape Colony. Mr. Andersson remarks : ** Great
Namaqua Land is the head-quarters of this species, and the Orange
Eiver is its southern limit ; in Damara Land proper it is of some-
what rare occurrence." It is rather a common species in Bechuana

116 PLOCEID^ PHILET.ERUS

Land and Griqualand West and by no means rare, though some-
what locally distributed, in the Transvaal.

Habits. — The great majority of African travellers refer to this
little Weaver and its conspicuous and remarkable social nest, which
has been, by various authors, compared to an umbrella, a haystack,
a native hut, and a variety of other structures. Mr. Andersson
remarks on its habits in Damara Land as follows : "It congre-
gates in large flocks, and when breeding, many pairs incubate
their eggs under the same roof, which is composed by these birds
of whole cartloads of grass piled on a branch of some camel- thorn
tree in one enormous mass of an irregular umbrella-shape, looking
like a miniature haystack, and almost solid, but with the under
surface, which is nearly flat, honeycombed all over with little
cavities, which serve, not only as places for incubation, but also as
a refuge against rain and wind."

Mr. Ayres remarks that in the Transvaal he " first met with this
curious bird near the Vaal River, where there were several colonies
amongst the large camel-thorn trees. Their huge nests were very
conspicuous at a considerable distance ; I first saw them in July,
1869 (midwinter), when the birds, in flocks of from thirty to forty,
were still inhabiting their nests, in which they appear to sleep all
the year round, adding to them each summer as the colony
increases I visited a nest early one morning and found it
apparently deserted ; but on throwing a stone or two at it I heard
a gentle chattering, and presently out flew a bird, and then another,
till the whole family were out. I found them afterwards feeding
on the ground at some little distance ; on rising they uttered the
same chattering note, and continued it during their flight."

Collective nests of this species contain from twenty to more
than three hundred separate habitations, which have no communica-
tion with one another beyond being under the same roof. Each
separate nest is warmly lined with feathers. One of the collective
nests is added to, year by year, until either the tree in which it is
built gives way, or its branches can afford room for no more
material ; fresh nests are then built in neighbouring trees by the
younger birds, about twenty pairs joining together to work at
each. In general habits this species very closely resembles the
larger Ploceipasser mahali. Like the latter bird it is exceedingly
pugnacious, the cocks frequently fighting until they lie exhausted
on the ground, surrounded by feathers that have been pulled out
during the contest. The Social Weaver feeds chiefly on grass-

PLOCEID^

PHILET^EUS

117

Nest of Social Weaver Bird.

w

118 PLOCEID^ AMADINA

seeds, occasionally on small berries and also on beetles. The young
are at first fed on grubs and other soft insects.

The eggs are three or four in number, and vary a good deal in
shape and colour. As a rule they are rounded ovates, but some are
very elongated. The ground colour is some shade of drab, and
they are more or less spotted all over with small dots of brow^n and
greyish purple. They average 0'75 x 0*52.

The illustration represents a nest of this species in Griqualand
West, and is from a photograph by my friend Dr. Marloth, of Cape
Town.

Genus VII. AMADINA.

Type.

Amadina, Swainson, Zool. Joum. iii, p. 349 (1827) A. fasciata.

Bill short, acutely conical, very broad at the base, swollen and
rounded ; the culmen broad, flattened, running to a point on the
forehead ; both culmen and gonys curved, the edge of the upper
mandible festooned towards the base ; nostrils basal, sunken,
lateral, hidden by frontal plumes. Wings short and rounded, the
first quill minute, the second, third, and fourth nearly equal and
longest ; the inner secondaries elongated. Tail short and square.
Tarsi shorter than the hind toe, strong. Toes long and slender, the
outer and inner about equal ; hind claw long and curved.

The genus contains three species of African Weaver Finches,
one occurring in South Africa.

They are very sparrow-like in their habits and actions, build
domed nests in bushes or under the roofs of houses, and lay white
eggs.

64. Amadina erythrocephala. Bed-headed W^cw&r Finch.

Loxia erythrocephala, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 301 (1766).

Amadina erythrocephala, Smith, III. Zool. 8. Afr. Birds, pi. 69 (1841) ;

Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 200 (1867) ; Gurney in Andersson' s B. Damara

Land, p. 174 (1872) ; Holub and Von Pclz. Beitr. Orn. Sudafr.

p. 131 (1882) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. pp. 467, 849 (1884) ;

id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 290 (1890); Shelley, Ibis, 1886, p. 313; id.

B. Afr. i, p. 26 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above light ash-grey, the crown
and nape streaked and tinged with scarlet ; upper tail-coverts

^^Q (X- ^/^t^'a.,-<x^ e^,

PLOCEID^ AMADINA 119

barred with black and tipped with white ; wings light brown, the
coverts and secondaries with narrow black subterminal bars and
white tips, the primaries with light edges ; tail brown, all but the
two central feathers tipped with white ; lores whitish ; sides of
face, chin, and upper throat scarlet; lower throat and sides of neck
whitish barred faintly with dusky ; breast grey, each feather tipped
with black, followed by a broad bar of white and a narrow bar of
black, giving the plumage a scaled appearance ; sides and flanks
with broader bars, the feathers at their bases tinged with reddish ;
under tail-coverts brown tipped with white and with a subterminal
bar of black ; edge of wing mottled brown and white ; axillaries and
under wing-coverts fawn-coloured ; under surface of quills light
dusky, their inner edges fawn-coloured.

Iris brown ; bill brownish ; legs and feet flesh-coloured.

Length 5*50; wing 2-90; tail 2-00; tarsus 0-65; culmen 0-50.

Amadina erythrocephala.

Adult female. — Is smaller, and lacks the red on the face and
throat, the latter being whitish barred with brown.

Length 4-80 ; wing 2-90 ; tail 1-80 ; tarsus 0-65 ; culmen 0-45.

Distrihutioii. — Northern Cape Colony, extending as far south
as Kenhardt, and ranging into the Orange Free State and the
Transvaal, thence through Matabili and Bechuana Lands to the
Lake Ngami district. On the west coast through Great Namaqua
and Damara Lands into Benguela.

Habits. — In nearly all its habits, in its flight, as well as in many
of its notes, this Weaver Finch very closely resembles the Cape
Sparrow {Passer arcuatus). In localities in which both species
occur they frequently associate together, and in Damara Land
Andersson found them breeding in company, both on trees and
under the eaves of his house, their nests being often placed side
by side. The Eed-headed Weaver Finch is a very social bird,
remaining in flocks, often of considerable size, all the year round,

f/x^C-nr^ Q^^^i^^-Q,^ A

120 PL0CEID2E AMADINA

and frequently associating with other ground-feeding birds. When
disturbed it flies at once to the shelter of the nearest bush or
tree with a twittering note, and remains hidden until the danger
is past. The nest, a large and rambling domed structure with
a side entrance, resembles that of a sparrow. It is constructed
of dry grass, twigs and rootlets with a lining of cotton, wool and
feathers, and is usually placed in a bush or tree, and frequently
several close together, occasionally under the eaves of a house.
On the Orange Eiver the eggs are laid in March. They are pure
white, rather elongated and tapering towards the smaller end, and
measure 0-83 x 0-58.

Subfamily III. VIDUIN^.

In the ViduincB, as in the Estrildince, the first primary is minute
in size, attenuated towards the end and sickle-shaped. In the
former, however, but not in the latter, the mantle is striped in some
stage of plumage, some of the inner wing-feathers are usually
lanceolate and the tail-feathers are generally obtusely pointed. The
hind claw is longer, less curved and more slender. Moreover, the
males in the breeding season assume a highly differentiated and
decorative plumage totally unlike their winter garb, which resem-
bles that of the females in being of some unobtrusive shades of
brown. The change to the breeding-dress is partly by a moult, but
chiefly by a change of colour in the existing feathers. The males
of many species are in summer decorated with long tails, neck-
frills, elongated and erectile feathers on the lower back, in addition
to gaudy colours.

All the species of the three genera, Urobrachya, Colio;passer and
Vidua, commonly known as Widow, or Whydah Birds, are poly-
gamous, the hens outnumbering the cocks in the proportion of from
ten to fifty to one. The ViduincB are confined to Africa. They all
have a somewhat indifferent song of a few harsh notes. They
feed chiefly on grass and other seeds, but occasionally on insects.
The majority build domed nests, woven out of grass and suspended
from the stems of grass or reeds, and lay coloured eggs ; the Hypo-
chercB, however, build their nests in holes of buildings and lay
pure white eggs.

PLOCEID^ QUELEA 121

Key to the Genera.

a. Back brownish, the feathers mottled with dark

centres. Tail very short and square. The males

with no very marked change of plumage in summer Quelea, p. 121.

b. In adult males in summer the back not mottled.

a' . The males in breeding plumage velvety-black and
yellow or scarlet, with neck frills ; tail short and

square Pyromelana,p. 125.

h\ The males in breeding plumage velvety-black, the
lesser wing-coverts orange or scarlet ; with neck-
frills. Tail short and much graduated and

rounded TJrohrachya,^. 133.

c^ The males in breeding plumage black ; the lesser
wing-coverts yellow, orange-scarlet, or black.

Tail much lengthened and rounded at the end... Coliopasse}', p. 136.
d\ The males in breeding plumage without yellow or
red in the plumage, and without bright lesser
wing-coverts. Tail square, or square with the
exception of the four centre feathers.
a^. Tail square, with the exception of the four

centre feathers which are much elongated ... Vidua, p. 143.
b^. Tailsquare, without elongated feathers. Entire

plumage glossy steel or purple black HypocJiera, p. 152.

Genus I. QUELEA.

Type.
Quelea, Beichb. Sijst. Nat. pi. 76, fig. 1 (1850) Q. quelea, p. 122.

Bill strong, cone-shaped ; the culmen gently curved from base
to tip ; the cutting edges of both mandibles sinuated and with a
deflected angle towards the base. Nostrils nearly concealed by
nasal plumes. Tail short (about three-fifths the length of wing),
square at the end ; the outstretched feet reaching its end. Plum-
age : in winter male and female alike brownish, streaked above and
on the flanks with dusky ; in summer the old males differ con-
siderably from the females in having the crown, neck and under
surface rosy pink. Bill bright red.

About six species and sub species are included in the genus, all
confined to Africa ; one species and a sub species are found in
South Africa.

The Red-billed Weavers feed on the ground in flocks, chiefly on
small seeds. They build domed nests of grass in bushes and lay
white eggs.

122 PLOCEID^ QUELEA

Key to the Species.

a. Forehead, sides of face and upper throat black... Q. quelea, p. 122.
c. Forehead, sides of face, and upper throat

yellowish-buff Q. quelea russi^^.VlA.

Qiielea quelea ^ .

l^Cf 65. Quelea qnelea. Bed-hilled Weaver.

Emberiza quelea, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 310 (1766).

Loxia lathami, Smith, Bep. Exp. Cent. Afr. App. p. 51 (1836).

Quelea sanguinirostris, Bp. Consp. i, p. 445 (1850) ; Gurney m Ander-

sson's B. Damara Land, p. 173 (1872) ; Holub and Pelzeln, Orn.

Sildafr. p. 116 (1882).
Ploceus lathami, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 186 (1867).
Quelea quelea, Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. p. 458 (1884) ; id. Cat.

B. M. xiii, p. 257 (1890) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1886, p. 357 ; id. B. Afr. i,

p. 25 (1896) ; Butler, Foreign Finches, p. 312, pi. (1894).

Description. Adult male in breeding plumage. — Above, mantle
and back brown, the centres of feathers darker ; lower back and
rump lighter ; wings brown, the primaries edged with yellow, the
remaining quills with whitish-brown ; tail-feathers brown edged
with whitish-brown ; forehead, lores, sides of face, and upper
throat black ; crown, nape, sides of neck, and remaining under
surface bright rose-pink ; the centre of breast and abdomen white ;
edge of wing yellowish ; axillaries and under wing-coverts white ;
under surface of quills light brown, their inner edges paler.

Iris brown ; bill bright red ; feet pinkish.

Length 4*75 ; wing 2*75 ; tail 1-75 ; tarsus 0*75 ; culmen 0-55.

Young males when breeding have sometimes no trace of pink on
the crown and lower surface of body, these parts being of a uniform
straw-colour.

Adult male in winter. — Eesembles the female, but the crown and
under surface of body are ash-brown (the crown in the female being

PLOCEID^ QUELEA 123

brown, the under surface buff- white). The male is also slightly-
larger.

Adult fe7nale. — Above, brown, the feathers with dark brown
centres ; wing and tail-feathers brown edged with yellow ; crown
and back of neck brown ; eyebrow cream-white ; eyelid and feathers
below eye the same ; lores and ear-coverts grey ; cheeks and under
surface of body buff- white, the sides grey ; the flanks brown ; centre
of breast and abdomen white ; thighs white ; under wing-coverts
yellowish-white.

Length 4-60 ; wing 2-60 ; tail 1-70 ; tarsus 0-65 ; culmen 0-50.

Distrihutioyi. — The greater part of Africa to the north of the
Orange and Vaal Rivers ; ranging into Nyasaland and through
Damara Land and Angola to the west coast.

Habits. — But little has been recorded regarding the habits of this
Weaver in a wild state. Ayres remarks that it is " tolerably
common in Potchefstroom and the neighbourhood in summer,
associating freely with the flights of Pyromelana oryx which swarms
here. It feeds with them on the open grassy plains and cornfields,
principally on small grass-seeds which they pick from the ground."
In Damara Land, Andersson met with this species in immense
flocks after the breeding season. He also found it a common bird
in the Lake Regions. Dr. Butler, in his interesting '* Foreign
Finches in Captivity," remarks : "In captivity this bird is an
indefatigable nest-builder, continuing to form one spherical nest
after another as long as material is freely supplied ; but, if this is
withdrawn, it will set to work with equal zeal to pick the nests to
pieces again. When building it always commences in the same
way, forming either an oblique or perpendicular hoop of plaited hay
or fibre, between two or more branches, or in the fork of a branch ;
from this hoop it works, starting from the bottom and gradually
filling in the back, finishing off with the front, in the centre of
which it leaves a small hold to enter by. I have never known any
lining to be added. Even when made of fine hay this nest is so
strongly woven that it is difficult to tear it apart, yet I have seen
one of my Baya Weavers gradually pick one to pieces in little over
a day, without spending more than half his time over the piece of
mischief.

" If disturbed when building, the Red-beaked Weaver raises
both wings perpendicularly and moves them gently up and down,
much after the manner of a large butterfly when perched on a
flower ; and, if the intruder persists in its interference, the architect

124 PLOCEID^ QUELEA

turns upon it, fiercely chattering, and does its utmost to drive it
away ; if successful, it returns quietly to work ; still, however,
warning off all visitors with its wings." According to Dr. Euss, in
confinement the male of this species is the principal nest-builder, the
hen only joining in the work when the nest is nearly completed.
The nest is finished in seven or eight days, and from three to seven
eggs are laid. Incubation lasts fourteen days. When pursuing
the hen the cock cries ''shack, schak, schak ; " when alarmed it
utters a sparrow-like monosyllabic note ; the ordinary call-note
being a softer " tek."

66. Quelea quelea russi. Buss' Weaver.

Ploceus russi, Finscli. Gefied. Welt, 1877, p. 317.

Quelea russi, Shar^e, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 260, pi. x, fig. 6 (1890) ;

Butler, Foreign Finches, p. 316, pi. (1894) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 26

(1896).

Description. Adult male. — Similar to the adult male of Quelea
quelea, but the black mask of the latter is, in Quelea quelea russi,
yellowish- buff.

Length 4-75; wing 2-70 ; tail 1-80; tarsus 0-75; culmen 0.55.

Note. — Adult males of Quelea qiielea, with black masks, after
being kept in confinement for some years, from age, ill-health, or
improper feeding, occasionally lose their black face markings and
fade into the plumage of 0. quelea russi, which they retain.

Distribution. — Natal (Pinetown) ; Eastern Transvaal, common ;
Bogos Land, July (Jesse).

Habits. — Dr. Butler writes regarding Euss' Weaver: *' In habits
it exactly corresponds with the commoner species, building precisely
in the same way and defending its nest just as Q. quelea does. I
have found it equally hardy and enduring. I purchased a male of
this species from Mr. Abrahams' some five or six years ago, and
turned it into my Weaver aviary ; it moults regularly and consorts
with the Eed-beaked species, chasing the hens and quarrelling with
the cocks in the noisy but harmless fashion of Q. quelea. I have
not the slightest doubt that, under suitable conditions, the two
species would freely interbreed, and it is not improbable that e
mules would prove fertile."

PLOCEID^ PYROMELANA 125

Genus II. PYROMELANA.

Pyromelana, Bp. Saggio Distr. Met. Anim. Vertebr. p. 141 ^^
(1831) P. oryx.

-Bill short, thick at the base, pointed ; the culmen smooth,
rounded, prolonged backwards to a point on the forehead, the
lateral margins slightly sinuated, angulated at the base ; gonys long
and ascending. Nostrils basal, rounded, partly hidden by frontal
plumes. Wings moderate, the first quill short, the third, fourth
and fifth longest. Tail square, shorter than the wing ; tarsi as
long as the middle toe ; the inner toe shorter than the outer ; claws
long, slender and slightly curved. Plumage : sexes in winter alike

Pyromelana capensis minor.

of some shades of unobtrusive brown ; in summer the males with a
gorgeous breeding dress of velvety black and yellow or red, with
erectile neck-frills and elongated erectile rump-feathers.

The genus includes about sixteen species and sub-species of
African Weaver Birds, commonly called "Bishop Birds" from the
gaudy plumage of the males. Three species and two sub-species
occur in South Africa.

The Bishop Birds are usually found in the neighbourhood of
marshes. They build covered nests in reeds and bushes and lay
from three to five eggs. Those of P. oryx are plain blue, of the
other species spotted or streaked. All the Pyromelance feed largely
on seeds, but occasionally on insects.

Key to the Species,
a. Prevailing colours of the male in summer

black and orange -scarlet P. oryx^ p. 126.

h. Prevailing colours of males in summer
black and yellow.

aK Size small : wing less than 2*50 P. taha, p. 128.

6\ Size larger : wing exceeding S'OO.
a^. Thighs brown.

a^. Larger, wing 3-35 .: P. capensis, p. 180.

¥. Smaller, whig 3*00 P. c. minor, p. 132.

h^. Thighs black P. c. xanthomelcena, p. 183.

126 PLOCEID^ PYBOMELANA

67. Pyromelana oryx. Bed Bishop Bird.

Emberiza orix, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 309 (1766).

Euplectes oryx, Swains. B. W. Afr. i, 187 (1837) ; Bocage, Orn.

Angola, p. 335 (1881) ; Butler, Feilden and Beid, Zool. 1882, p. 297.
Ploceus oryx, Gray, Gc7i. B. ii, p. 352 (1849) ; Layard, B. S. Afr.

p. 185 (1867).
Euplectes sundevalli, Bp. Consp. i, p. 446 (1850) ; KirJc, Ibis, 1864, p.

322 ; Gurney, Ibis, 1865, p. 269 ; 1868, p. 465.
Pyromelana oryx, Finscli and Hartl. Vog. Ostdfr. p. 410 (1870) ;

Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 172 (1872) ; Sharpe,

ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. pp. 462, 849 (1884); id. Cat. B. M. xiii,

p. 231 (1890) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1886, p. 382 ; Butler, Foreign Finches,

p. 302, pi. (1894).
Pyromelana orix, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 25 (1896).
" Grenadier" Weaver or Bishop Bird ; " Bed Kaffir Fink."

Description. Adult male in breeding plumage. — Above, the
mantle orange tinged with scarlet; forehead and front of crown,
sides of face, ear- coverts and upper throat velvety black ; hind
crown and neck all round brilliant orange or scarlet-vermilion,
dependent upon age ; these feathers can be puffed out into a ruff
or frill ; lower back, rump and upper tail- coverts orange or scarlet-
vermilion ; wing coverts brilliant orange-red ; quills brown with
blackish centres ; tail-feathers dark brown with paler margins ;
chest and abdomen velvety black ; thighs buff-brown ; vent and
under tail-coverts scarlet ; axillaries and under wing-coverts pale
buff, the axillaries tinged with scarlet ; under surface of quills
pale brown, with paler inner margins.

Iris dark brown ; bill black ; feet brown.

Length (of male from Tulbagh) 6-00 ; wing 3-00 ; tail 2-00 ;
tarsus 085 ; culmen 0-60.

Length (of male from Zululand) 4*75 ; wing 2*65 ; tail 1-60 ;
tarsus 0*80 ; culmen 0-50.

Adult female. — Above tawny brown with black shaft streaks,
narrower on the crown ; wing and tail-quills brown with pale
reddish-brown edges ; eyebrow yellowish ; sides of face, ear-coverts,
cheeks and under surface of body dull white, tinged with brown on
the sides of face, neck, breast, and flanks, streaked with darker
brown on the breast, sides and flanks ; thighs and under wing-
coverts tawny buff.

Iris dark brown ; bill pale brown; feet reddish-brown.

? /^ > v.^^ jCcX-r—TfCfi't.^-^S^^^..^!^ /(j^

PLOCEID^ PYROMELANA 127

Length (of female from Tulbagh) 5-30; wing 2-75; tail 1-90;
tarsus 0*75 ; culmen 0-50.

Adult male in winter. — Resembles the female, but is slightly
larger and darker.

The brilliancy and depth of colour of the plumage of the male
in summer increase with age, the chest, neck, and lower back
varying from orange to scarlet-vermilion. This species varies
greatly in size, specimens from northern localities being very much
smaller than those from the neighbourhood of Cape Town and the
western part of Cape Colony, but the extremes are connected by a
series of intermediate sizes. The small northern race has been
named P. sundevalli by Bonaparte.

Distribution. — South Africa and Benguela ; from Cape Town
through Cape Colony, Natal, Zululand, and the Orange Free State,
ranging through the Transvaal and Portuguese East Africa into
Rhodesia, and extending as far north as the Zambesi. On the
west coast from Great Namaqua Land, through Damara Land, to
the Lake Ngami district and Benguela. Throughout its range a
somewhat local bird, nearly confined to marshy districts.

Habits. — The Red Kaffir Fink is seldom found at any great
distance from marshy ground or the reed- overgrown borders of vleis
or rivers. It appears to be a resident in nearly all the localities in
which it occurs, although it may occasionally be driven from a
district for a time by drought or want of food. In winter the
Bishop Birds collect in flocks sometimes numbering thousands
of individuals, and frequently feed in the compan^^ of other
Weaver Birds and Finches on seeds and grain. At night they roost
in extensive reed-beds or among bushes. Few birds surpass in
beauty the male of this species in summer, when he has fully
assumed his gorgeous breeding dress of scarlet and velvety-black.
At this season the cocks may be seen slowly gliding over the reed
beds with a curious "hovering" flight, during which the body is
kept very erect, the plumage of the lower back puffed out, while
that of the neck is erected into a frill, looking, in the blazing
sunshine, like flames of fire slowly drifting to and fro. At times
they dance about in front of the females with puffed out plumes,
turning from side to side as if to show off the full beauty of their
plumage.

In the neighbourhood of Cape Town this Bishop Bird builds its
nest in August or September ; in Natal in November or December,
and again in March or April. As a rule these birds nest in colonies,

7^3

128 PLOCEID^ PYKOMELANA

often of great extent, the nests, which are domed and woven out of
grass, being attached to the stems of three or four reeds, about four
or five feet above the mud or water. The eggs, four or five in
number, are somewhat pyriform in shape and of a uniform pale
greenish-blue colour. They average 0*82 x 0*60. The female sits
for fourteen days. The young are at first fed on small caterpillars
and other insects, including the larvae of mosquitoes.

68. Pyromelana taha. Taha Bishop Bird.

Euplectes taha, Smith, Bejjort, Exp. Cent. Afr. p. 50 (1836) ; id. III.

Zool. 8. Afr., Birds, pi. 7 ; Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara

Land, p. 171 (1872).
Ploceus taha, Laijard, B. S. Afr. p. 184 (1867).
Pyromelana taha, Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 465 (1884) ; id.

Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 242 (1890) ; Shelley B. Afr. i, p. 25 (1896).

Description. Adult male in summer. — Crown golden yellow ;
nape, back, rump, and upper and under tail- coverts bright yellow,
the upper back streaked with brown ; scapulars, wing-coverts and
secondaries dark brown edged with yellow ; primaries brown edged
with white ; tail brown ; lores, sides of face and neck, a collar
round hind-neck and under surface of body jet-black ; under wing-
coverts buff.

Iris brown ; bill black ; feet pale brown.

Length 4-25 ; wing 2-40 ; tail 1-60 ; tarsus 0-70 ; culmen 0 50.

Adult male in whiter.— Eesembles the female.

Adult female. — Above brown streaked with black ; wings and
tail blackish, the feathers edged with brown ; eyebrow buff; ear-
coverts brown, black above ; below sandy brown streaked with
black on the breast, sides and flanks ; throat and abdomen nearly
white; edge of wing yellow; axillaries and under wing- coverts
dull white.

Iris light brown ; bill pale brown ; feet darker brown.

Length 4-10; wing 240; tail 1-30; tarsus 0-70; culmen 050.

Distribution. — From Durban and Pinetown in Natal northward,
but somewhat locally distributed. In the Free State it is rather
common on the Modder river ; in the Transvaal it is found very
numerously in marshy districts from Potchefstroom to the Limpopo.
It extends into Matabili and Mashona Lands ; thence to Lake
Ngami and Ondongo. A small race occurs in Masai Land which
Dr. Sharpe does not consider specifically distinct.

PLOCEID^

PYROMELANA

129

Habits. — In the Transvaal and some parts of the Orange Free
State these little Bishop Birds collect in immense flocks towards
autumn and remain together until the following spring, when they
break up into smaller companies, many of which appear to migrate,

Pyromelana taha. Male in summer.

while others remain to breed in small colonies in the swamps or
among reeds on the borders of vleis or streams. During autumn
and winter these birds feed chiefly on fallen grass-seeds ; they are
also accused of doing considerable damage to the corn, and especially
the millet-crops, but in summer they subsist largely on insects, and
9

130 PLOCEIDiE PYROMELANA

feed their young almost entirely on caterpillars and soft-bodied
larvae. Nothing can exceed the beauty of the males in their newly-
acquired spring plumage of brilliant yellow and glossy black, and
one never tires of watching these feathered gems as they hover
with puffed-out plumage over the reeds or grass in which their
mates are hidden, looking, as Ayres aptly remarks, " like balls of
black and yellow floating slowly about over the grass."

They breed over the greater portion of the Transvaal in swampy
localities, from the Vaal river to the Limpopo, and also, according
. to Andersson, in great abundance in Ondongo and at Lake Ngami.
The nests are neatly woven out of long pieces of fine grass in
the form of deep purses, or half-closed bags, suspended from three
or four reeds, usually over water. The eggs are laid about the end
of December in the Northern Transvaal, but not until two months
later in the north of Damara Land. They are four or five in
number, of a glossy white, dotted and sprinkled all over with very
small specks of black or dark brown. They measure, on the
average, 0-73 x 0*52.

O ^ 69. Pyromelana capensis. Black and Yelloiv Bishop Bird.

Loxia capensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 306 (1766).

Ploceus capensis, Gray, Gen. B. i, p. 352 (1850) ; Layard, B. S. Afr.
p. 184 (1867).

Pyromelana capensis, Sliarjpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 463, 849,
.pt. (1884); id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 236 (1890); Btitler, Foreign
Finches, p. 295, pi. <? and ? (1894) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 24 (1896).

" Yellow Kaffir Fink."

Description. Adult male in breeding plumage. — Lower back and
rump bright golden-yellow, the feathers elongated and fluffy ; least
and middle wing-coverts, edge of wing and axillaries golden-yellow ;
under wing-coverts buff ; scapulars brown, tinged with yellow and
streaked with blackish ; rest of wing brown, the quills edged with
pale brown and yellow ; thighs brown ; entire head, neck and under
surface of body velvety black, highly glossed ; rest of plumage,
including the tail, black.

Iris dark brown ; bill black ; feet pale brown.

Length 7*00; wing 3-35; tail 2-80; tarsus 1-00; culmen 070.

Adult female. — Above brown, the feathers streaked with broad
blackish centres, those of the back with whitish margins ; lower
back and rump olive-yellow streak with brown ; upper tail-coverts

,^r '• - ^^c..^

PLOCEIDJE PYROMELANA 131

pale brown streaked with dusky ; lesser and middle wing-coverts
dark brown edged with olive-yellow ; rest of wing and tail-feathers
dark brown edged with yellowish-brown ; lores and slight eyebrow
olive-yellow ; plumes round the eye whitish ; ear-coverts and sides
of face dark brown ; cheeks and under surface of body whitish, the
sides of body and flanks tinged with brown and streaked with dark
brown ; under wing-coverts yellowish ; under surface of quills dusky
with buff inner margins.

Iris dark brown ; bill whitish ; feet pale brown.

Length 6-00; wing 3-30; tail 2-25; tarsus 0-95; culmen 0-65.

Adult male in wiiiter. — Eesembles the adult female in plumage,
but is distinguished by his larger size. The bill at this season is
pale brown.

The change of plumage from the winter to the summer dress in
the male is very gradual, lasting, near Cape Town, from about the
middle of July to the middle of September. Only the feathers
of the lower back, rump and flanks are entirely changed by a moult,
the remaining plumage and bill becoming darker, owing to a gradual
absorption of colouring matter, the change first appearing at the
point of the lower mandible. In autumn the colour is gradually
reabsorbed if the feathers are not previously moulted. According
to Dr. Butler {Ihis, 1897; p. 359), other species of the genus Pyvo-
melana change from their winter to spring dress in much the
same manner.

Distribution. — Western Cape Colony, from Cape Town to the
George District on the east, northward to Clan William. Common
on the Cape Peninsula.

Habits. — This large Bishop Bird is nearly everywhere common
in the Western Colony, and although it seems to prefer the vicinity
of marshy vleis or streams it may be frequently found in very dry
and arid tracts of country. The male in spring and summer is
fond of uttering his harsh notes from the top of a tall bush or reed,
and is then very conspicuous in his contrasting glossy black and
yellow plumage. The female at this season is not often seen,
keeping much to thick reed-beds or bushes, even when not sitting
on her eggs. In autumn the old birds of both sexes, together with
their young, form considerable flocks, which do not separate until
the following spring. The long, loose, yellow feathers on the lower
back and rump of the breeding male are erectile, and when the
bird is approaching a hen, or is excited, they stand out at right
angles to the body, giving him an extraordinary appearance, appa-

132 PLOCEID^ PYEOMELANA

rently irresistible to the impressionable female. The song consists
of a series of harsh and discordant notes. Although these birds
feed largely on grass-seeds or grain, and are accused by farmers of
working havoc with the crops, they devour a considerable number
of insects, and feed their young on small caterpillars and grubs.
Individuals that 1 have kept in confinement readily devoured nearly
all the insects presented to them, showing a preference for meal-
worms or caterpillars. This species nests in September or October.
The nest, a domed structure with a side entrance, is woven out of
fine grass, and is usually attached by its sides to three or four reed-
stems ; sometimes it is built in thick bushes at a height of four or
five feet. The eggs, almost always four in number, have a pale
greenish-blue ground colour nearly concealed by spots, blotches,
and lines of dark brown or slate-colour. They average 0*85 x
0-60, and are hatched in about fourteen days.

70. Pyromelana capensis minor.

Smaller Black and Yelloiv Bishop Bird.

Oryx minor, Beichenb. Singv. p. 59, pi. 24, figs. 210, 211 (1861).
Euplectes capensis {nee Linn.), Gur7iey, Ibis, 1865, p. 269; id. in

Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 170 (1872).
Pyromelana capensis {nee Linn.), Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. 8. Afr. pp.

463, 849, pt. (1884).
Pyromelana capensis, subsj). a. minor, Sliarpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 238

(1890).
Pyromelana minor, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 25 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Like the male of P. capensis, but
much smaller ; the thighs brown as in P. capensis.

Length {S Peddle) 5-40; wing 3-00 ; tail 200; tarsus 0-80;
culmen 0-50.

Adult female. — Eesembles the female of P. capensis, but is smaller.

Distributioji. — From Knysna, in Cape Colony, through the
Eastern Cape Colony and Natal into Zululand, the Orange Free
State, and the Transvaal, ranging north of the Limpopo Eiver into
South Matabililand.

Habits. — Like those of Pyromelaiia capensis.

PLOCEIDiE UEOBEACHYA 133

71. Pyromelana capensis xanthomelasna.

Black-thiglied Bishop Bird.

Euplectes xanthomelas, Biip2>. Neue Werb., Vog. p. 94 (1835) ; KirTc^

Ibis, 1864, p. 322.
Coliuspasser xanthomelas, Shelley, Ibis, 1886, p. 350 ; 1888, p. 293.
Pyromelana xanthomelsena, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 239 (1890) ;

Marshall, Ibis, 1896, p. 246 ; Shelley, B. Afr. i. p. 24 (1896).

Description. — Similar to Pyromelana capensis^ but distinguished
by its entirely black thighs (Sharpe).

Iris dusky ; upper mandible black, lower yellowish ; feet reddish.

Length 6'00 ; wing 345 ; tail 2-30 ; tarsus 0-85 ; culmen 0-65.

The birds from the Shire Valley, though referable to P. xantho-
melcena, are much smaller (wing, 2-65 — 2*7) than individuals from
more northern localities (Sharpe).

Distrihiition. — From Salisbury in Mashonaland to Abyssinia,
westward to Angola. Salisbury, Mashonaland, Dec. (Marshall).

Genus III. UROBRACHYA.

Type.
Urobrachya, Bonaparte, Coyispectus, i, p. 447 (1850) ...U. axillaris.

Bill moderate, robust, conical, the culmen slightly arched, pro-
longed backwards to a point among the frontal feathers ; nostrils
basal, lateral, hidden by plumes and rounded. Wings moderately
long, the first quill very short. Tail shorter than the wing, much
rounded and graduated, the feathers with rounded ends. Tarsi and
toes moderately strong. Plumage : the males with a very distinct
breeding plumage, the body of some shade of black, the lesser wing-
coverts of orange or scarlet, the feathers of a soft and velvety
texture ; in the non-breeding season the males resemble the females
in colour — some shades of unobtrusive brown. The Urohrachyce,
like the ViducB and Coliopasseres, are polygamous, each male mating
with from ten to fifteen females.

Five species of this genus are found in Africa ; one ranges on the
east coast from Zanzibar to East London, another inhabits Benguela
and extends southward into Ovampo Land.

Key to the Species.

a. Lesser wing-coverts orange-scarlet U. axillaris, p. 134.

h. Lesser wing-coverts orange-yellow U. bocagii, p. 136.

^^

134

PLOCEID^

UROBRACHYA

72. Urobrachya axillaris. Bed-shouldered Widow Bird.

Vidua axillaris, Smith, Ill.Zool. S. Afr., Birds, pi. 17 (1838) ; Layard,

B. S. Afr. p. 189 (1867).
Penthetria axillaris, SJiarpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 461, 849

(1884).
Urobrachya axillaris, Sharjpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 224 (1890) ; Shelley,

B. Afr. i, p. 24 (1896).
Coliuspasser axillaris, Shelley, Ibis, 1886, p. 349.
" Flop " of Natal Colonists ; " Entaka " Zulu.

Urobrachya axillaris $.

Description. Adult male in breeding i^lumage. — General colour
all over, deep velvety black; the least wing-coverts orange- scarlet ;
the median coverts cinnamon-red ; edge of wing, axillaries, and
under wing- coverts cinnamon colour.

Iris dark brown ; bill pale blue ; feet brown.

Length 6-30; wing 3-50; tail 3-00; tarsus I'OO; culmen 0-65.

Adult female. — Above sandy buff streaked with black ; lesser
wing-coverts orange streaked with black; remaining wing-coverts,

PLOCEID^ UEOBRACHYA 135

quills and tail-feathers, blackish-brown edged with pale brown;
eyebrows, sides of face and ear-coverts pale brown ; cheeks and
under surface of body pale sandy buff, darker on the flanks, which
are slightly streaked ; axillaries and under wing-coverts cinnamon-
colour.

Length 5-20 ; wing 3-00 ; tail 1-75 ; tarsus 095 ; culmen 0-65.

Male in winter and the young resemble the female in plumage.

Distribution. — From Eastern Cape Colony through Natal and
Zululand into the Eastern Transvaal, the Portuguese Territory,
Mosambique and Nyasaland ; extending as far north as Mombas on
the east coast.

Habits. — In the lower parts of Natal these Widow Birds are
common on the grass veldts, especially those that border on reedy
vleis or marshy ground, where the grass grows luxuriantly. Like
all the members of this genus they are polygamous in their habits,
and in spring the handsome males, looking very brilliant and spruce
in their recently acquired plumage of velvety-black, with scarlet
and orange epaulettes, may be seen flitting over the reeds or
grass with a curious ** flopping" flight, each one attended and
closely followed in all his movements by ten or twelve females,
insignificant-looking little brown birds, which nearly always keep
close together in a " bunch " a few yards behind their lord and
master. About the beginning of November the females separate
and commence building their nests. These are never very close
together, although they are all within a certain district that
the male seems to look upon as his own exclusive property,
and from which he drives other males of his kind, as well as
those of the much larger and stronger Coliopasser procne who,
hampered by their long tails, stand no chance in a fight with
their smaller but much more active antagonist. Each female
builds and occupies a separate nest. During the time she is
sitting the male stations himself on a tall weed somewhere near the
centre of his harem, and keeps a sharp look-out for intruders ;
occasionally flying round to see how matters are progressing at his
various establishments. Should a man or other dangerous enemy
approach, he flies to each nest in succession with a warning note ;
upon which the sitting females leave their nests, creep under the
grass for some yards, then rise on the wing to follow him to a
distance. The nest, usually built in the centre of a tuft of grass,
from eight inches to a foot off the ground, is a beautifully light and
airy structure, oval in shape and domed, with a side entrance near

136 PLOCEIDiE COLIOPASSER

the top ; it measures about four inches and a-half in height, and
three inches in diameter, is constructed of fine grass, with the
flowering tops attached, woven in a sort of open network, so that
the sides can be seen through, without any additional lining. The
sides of the nest are attached to many of the surrounding grass-
stalks, the blades and tops of the latter being bent over in the form
of a canopy so as to completely conceal it from above. The eggs,
laid towards the end of December, are three in number. They
have a highly-polished surface of a clear sea-green, marked with
large spots and blotches of deep olive-brown. They measure
0-80 X 0-58.

These Widow Birds feed largely on insects, including grass-
hoppers, locusts, mantides, and termites, also upon various seeds,
especially small grass-seeds. In winter the old and young birds
form good-sized flocks, but never seem to wander far from their
breeding station.

m

73. Urobrachya bocagii. Bocage's Widow Bird.

Urobrachya bocagii, Sharpe, Cat. Afr. B. p. 63 (1871) ; id. Cat. B. M.

xiii, p. 226, pi. 9 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 24 (1896).
Penthetria bocagii, Bocage, Orn. Angola, p. 343 (1881) ; Sharjje, ed.

Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 461 (1884).
Coliuspasser bocagii, Shelley, Ibis, 1886, p. 349.

Description. Adult male. — Like U. axillaris, but with the lesser
wing-coverts of a bright orange colour, the primary coverts cinnamon-
brown.

Iris brown ; bill dull white ; feet dark brown.

Length 740; wing 3-50; tail 2-75; tarsus 1-00; culmen 0-65.

Distribution. — Northern Ovampo Land and the valley of the
Cunene Eiver, extending northward into Benguela and Angola.

Habits. — Like those of Urobrachya axillaris.

Genus IV. COLIOPASSER.

Type.

Coliuspasser, Bilpp. N. Wirb. Yog. p. 98 (1835-40) ...C. laticauda.
Bill somewhat lengthened, strong, cone-shaped ; laterally com-
pressed ; the culmen arched and prolonged to a point on the fore-
head ; the gonys lengthened and ascending. Nostrils basal, lateral,

PLOCEID^ COLIOPASSER 137

rounded and hidden by the frontal feathers. Wings rather long,
the first quill minute, the second, third and fourth nearly equal, the
fifth the longest, the sixth slightly shorter. Tail : in the males, all
the tail-feathers and coverts are greatly lengthened in summer and
considerably exceed the wing in length ; in the males in their
winter plumage, which resembles that of the females and young,
the tail is shorter than the wing. Tarsi moderately strong and
strongly scaled anteriorly. Toes rather long and slender, the hind
toe about as long as the inner. Claws long and sharp.

CoUopasser ardens.

Plumage : the males with a highly decorative breeding plumage,
conspicuously different from their winter garb, which is, like that of
the females, of unobtrusive shades of brown. Species of Coliopasser
differ from those of Urobrachya in that the tail-feathers of the males
are greatly lengthened in summer ; from those of Vidua in having
all, and not the four central feathers only, prolonged. In general
habits, in their nesting and in their food, the species of these three
genera are much alike. The male of Coliopasser albonotatus has,
like Urobrachya axillaris, and the Bishop Birds, Pyromelance, the
power of erecting the neck feathers of the summer dress into a ruff
or frill. Eleven species are included in this genus by Captain
Shelley : they are confined to the Ethiopian Eegion ; three species
are South African.

Key to the Species.
a. Tail longer than the wing.

«.^ Tail between two and three times the length
of wing.
a^. Larger : wing exceeding 5*25 ; tail-feathers
tapering towards ends ; lesser wing-coverts

orange-scarlet C.jprocne, $

in summer, p. 139
h^. Smaller : wing under 3*00 ; tail-feathers
with rounded ends, and not tapering ;
lesser wing-coverts black like rest of wing C. ardens, $

in summer, p. 142

138 PLOCEID^ COLIOPASSER

¥. Tail not twice the length of wing.

c^. Lesser wing-coverts bright yellow C. alhonotatus, $

in summer, p, 138
h. Tail shorter than the wing.

c\ Larger : wing exceeding 4*00. Lesser wing-
coverts brown, edged with orange -red.

dt?. Wing about 4-50 C.]jroc7ie, ? p. 139

6^. Wing about 5-40 C.procne, ^

in winter, p. 139
d}. Smaller : wing less than 3*00. Lesser wing-
coverts dark brown edged with buff.

/^ Wing about 2*50 ; tail dark brown C. ardens, ? p. 142

g^. Wing about 2'90; tail black C. ardens, ^

in winter, p. 142

QyJ 74. Coliopasser albonotatus. White-winged Widoiu Bird.

Vidua albonotata, Cass. Proc. Philad. Acad. 1848, p. 65 ; id. Journ.

Philad. Acad, i, p. 241, pi. 30, fig. 1 (1849) ; Layard, B. S. Afr.

p. 189.
Penthetria albonotata, Bocage, Orn. Angola, p. 342 (1881) ; Holub and

Pelzeln, Orn. Sildafr. p. 124 (1882) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. 8. Afr.

p. 460 (1884) : id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 219 (1890).
Coliuspasser albonotatus, Shelley, Ibis, 1886, p. 348.
Coliipasser abonotatus, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 24 (1896).

Description. Adult male in hreedi7ig plumage. — Entire head,
body and tail jet black ; lesser wing-coverts bright yellow ; middle
and greater coverts black edged with brownish-white, the outer-
most of the greater coverts and the primary-coverts pure white ;
quills black narrowly edged with brown, all excepting the inner-
most secondaries white at the base ; axillaries and under wing-
coverts white ; edge of wing yellow ; the axillaries tinged with
yellow.

Iris hazel ; bill pale blue ; feet black.

Length 6-60 ; wing 3-00 ; tail 3-50 ; tarsus 0-80 ; culmen 0-50.

Distribution. — On the east coast from Natal to Nyasaland ; on
the west coast from the Cunene Eiver to Gaboon, extending along
the valley of the Zambesi into Northern Bechuana and Matabili
Lands. In Natal it is rare, but becomes more common in Zulu-
land and the Eastern Transvaal. Dr. Kirk obtained specimens
on the Zambesi and Shire Rivers ; Dr. Holub at Panda-ma-Tenka ;
and Mr. A. Whyte at Mpimbi, in Nyasaland. I have myself only

PLOCElDiE COLIOPASSER 139

met with this species in the Eastern Transvaal. It is not recorded
from any part of Cape Colony, Great Namaqua or Damara Land.

Habits. — This very beautiful and rare Widow Bird appears to
have much the habits of Urohrachya axillaris. It frequents marshy
ground on the borders of vleis, where, in summer, the male sits on
the summit of a tall stem of grass or reed and shows off his glossy
black plumage and yellow shoulder-knot, frequently puffing out the
neck feathers into a sort of ruff, like a Bishop Bird, while opening
and shutting his wings or occasionally taking a short flight and
hovering, like a Vidua, with up-raised wings, over the grass, where
doubtless one of his brown wives is concealed. I have never had
an opportunity of handling a female of this species, but I have seen
the male followed in his flight by ten or a dozen hens, who appeared
to be of a very uniform brown colour, and very much smaller than
the cock, as is the case with Urohrackya axillaris. The male
described had been feeding on grass-seeds and small beetles.
Although this species has a wide range in Africa, it appears to be
nowhere common.

"y 75. Goliopasser procne. Great-tailed Widow Bird.

Emberiza procne, Bodd. Tahl. pi. Enl. p. 39 (1783).

Chera procne. Gray. Gen. B. ii, 1849, p. 355 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii,

p. 213 (1890).
Chera progne, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 190 ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S.

Afr. pp. 458, 849 (1884).
Coliipasser procne, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 23 (1896).
" Isa-Kabuli " of the Zulus ; " Kaffir-Finke " of Colonists.

Descriptioji. Adult male in breeding plumage — Entire head,
body and tail glossy black ; lesser wing-coverts orange-scarlet ;
median-coverts varying from white to buff; remaining coverts and
quills black edged with whitish and sandy brown, the outer webs of
the primaries white towards their ends; axillaries, under wing-
coverts and under surface of quills black.

Iris brown ; bill Hght bluish-ash ; feet dusky-brown.

Length 23-00; wing 5-00 ; tail 19-50 ; tarsus 1-15 ; culmen OTO.

The lesser wing-coverts vary from orange to scarlet.

In winter the male resembles the female.

Adult female. — General colour sandy buff streaked with black ;
lesser wing-coverts orange-yellow streaked with dark brown ; re-
maining coverts and secondaries dark brown margined with sandy-

140

PLOCEID^

COLIOPASSER

buff; the primaries lighter brown with narrow lighter margins ; tail-
feathers brown edged with sandy-buff ; crown rufous-brown streaked
with black ; eyebrow buff ; under surface of body dull white ; the
breast, sides and flanks streaked with brown ; axillaries and under
wing-coverts black.

Coliopasser procne. Male in breeding dress. From Distants' " Naturalist in
the Transvaal" (by permission of the publishers).

Length 7-00; wing 4-40 ; tail 3-40; tarsus 1-20 ; culmen 0'70.
Young male. — Differs from the female in being more streaked on
the chest.

Distribution. — Eastern Cape Colony, Natal, Zululand, the

PLOCEIDiE COLIOPASSEE 141

Orange Free State, the Transvaal, Portuguese East Africa and
Benguela. Dr. Sharpe also records it as having been met with as
far north as the river Bogonota, in Masailand, an adult male having
been shot there by Mr. F. J. Jackson on July 20, 1890 ; and " a few
seen in a swamp amongst the grass two camps after Doreta on our
downward march " {Ibis, 1891, p. 244).

Habits. — This beautiful Widow Bird, remarkable for the extra-
ordinary size of the tail of the male during the breeding season, is,
in many parts of Upper Natal, Zululand and the Southern Trans-
vaal, a very common summer resident on the borders of vleis and
swamps as well as on the open veldt, wherever there is a sufficient
growth of grass to afford it concealment and a shelter for its nest.
On bright sunny days the long-tailed males are fond of sitting on
the taller heads of grass, or on some prominent bush or weed.
They frequently fly from bush to bush with gracefully arched tail,
apparently not much incommoded by its great size ; but in the
early morning when the grass is still wet with dew, or after a
shower of rain, not a bird will be visible ; they are then hiding
under the grass, so hampered by their wet and heavy tails as to be
unable to rise. At such times numbers are caught by the Zulu
boys, who prize the long tail-feathers as head-dresses. In autumn
both old and young collect in flocks of thousands and frequently
leave the neighbourhood of their breeding place. At this season,
until the following spring, they roost in dense reed-beds or among
thick bushes. During autumn and winter they feed largely upon
grass- seeds, millet and grain, in summer to a considerable extent on
various insects. The young are fed on small caterpillars, grubs and
termites. As soon as the males begin to assume their long tails in
spring the flocks break up, and each male, accompanied by from ten
to fifteen females, repairs to some suitable breeding place. As soon
as they have fixed on a locality the females separate and each one
proceeds to construct a nest in a thick tuft of grass. The cock
meanwhile keeps a look-out from some point of vantage and spends
most of his time in driving off other cocks who attempt to trespass
on the territory occupied by his harem. He takes no part in the
construction of any of the nests. Should he see a man or beast of
prey approaching he flies round with a warning cry, upon which the
hens leave their nests, creep under the grass for a short distance,
then rise and fly off until danger is past. The nest is an oval
domed structure, with a side entrance, roughly woven out of fine
grass lined with the flowering tops of grass or reeds. It is generally

1^

142 PLOCEID^ COLIOPASSER

placed a few inches off the ground, in the centre of a tuft of grass,
attached by its sides to many grass stalks, the blades and tops
of which are bent down and tied together to form an additional
concealment and protection. The female sits for fourteen days.
The eggs, usually four in number, are small considering the size of
the bird. They are white or bluish- white closely marked with
small spots and dashes of dark brown and slate-grey. They average
090 by 0-67.

76. Coliopasser ardens. Bed-collared Widow Bird.

Emberiza ardens, Bodd. Tahl. PI. Enl. p. 39 (1783).

Vidua ardens. Gray, Gen. B. ii, p. 355 (1849) ; Layard, B. S. Afr. p.

190 (1867) ; Sharioe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. pp. 455, 849 (1884).
Penthetria ardens, Cah. Mus. Heiii. i, p. 177 (1850) ; FinscJi and Hartl.

Vog. Ostafr. p. 423 (1870) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 215 (1890) ;

Butler, Foreign Finches, p. 290, pi. ^ and $ (1894).
Coliipasser ardens, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 23 (1896).

Description. Adult male in breeding pluriiage. — Entire head and
body jet black, with a crescent-shaped half collar, varying from
orange to scarlet, separating the throat from the breast ; this collar
is sometimes absent. The feathers of thighs and under tail-coverts
edged with grey ; tail black ; wings black, most of the feathers
edged with grey.

Iris bright brown ; bill black ; legs and feet dark grey-brown.

Length 12-50; wing 3-00; tail 9-50; tarsus 0-80 ; culmen 060.

Adult female. — Above brown, the feathers with black centres;
w^ing and tail-feathers dark brown edged with buff ; crown like the
back ; eyebrow, lores and feathers below eye yellowish-white ; ear-
coverts buff-brown ; under surface of body buff-yellow, the under
tail-coverts streaked with brown : axillaries and under wing-coverts
greyish-white.

Iris brown ; bill, legs and feet pale brown.

Length 4-75 ; wing 2-50 ; tail 1-60 ; tarsus 0-80 ; culmen 0-55.

A dult male in ivinter. — Eesembles the female ; but the wing-
feathers are black edged with buff ; the tail black ; the chest tinged
with red ; he is also larger.

Young. — On leaving the nest resemble the female, males being
slightly larger, with darker wings and tail.

Distribution. — From the neighbourhood of Port Elizabeth, in
Eastern Cape Colony, through Natal, Zululand, the Transvaal, and

PLOCEID^ VIDUA 143

Portuguese East Africa, extending as far north as 5° N. lat. On
the west coast it has been recorded from Angola, Sierra Leone
and Senegambia. In Eastern Cape Colony and Natal it is very
generally distributed in marshy localities, as at Alice (Layard) ;
East London (Rickard) ; King William's Town (Trevelyan) ; Eland's
Post (Atmore) : Pinetown, Natal (Shelley) ; Newcastle (Butler,
Reid and Feilden) ; Drakensberg (Buckley). It is somewhat local
but fairly common in the Transvaal and Matabili Land ; but it has
not been recorded from Great Namaqua or Damara Lands.

Habits. — In winter these Widow Birds gather in considerable
flocks, in which they frequently mix with other of the Weaver-
finches, and in which the females invariably outnumber the males
in the proportion of from ten to fifty to one. They frequent grassy
plains, or old fields of Kaffir-corn, spots in which they find abun-
dance of small seeds on the ground. At night they retire to roost
in reeds, or, if these be wanting, in the long grass. As soon as the
males, in spring, commence to assume their long tails and breeding
plumage, the flocks break up, and each male, accompanied by from
eight to fifteen females, betakes himself to some neighbouring reed-
bed, or marshy spot overgrown with long grass. Here he takes up
his station on one of the tallest weeds, shows off his tail, which is
blown about by the slightest breeze, makes an occasional sally to
drive off another male, or hovers, with jerky, erratic flight, over
the rushes or grass in which the females are presumably hiding or
building their nests ; for they, unlike the male, are not much in
evidence at this season, but keep well out of sight. The nests are
domed, with a small entrance at the side, carefully woven of fine
grass in the centre of a thick tuft of grass, many of the growing
grass stems being built into the walls of the nest, while others are
plaited so as to form an arched bower over it. The nest is, in fact,
very like that of Coliopasser axillaris. 1 have never been fortunate
enough to find the eggs.

Genus V. VIDUA.

Type.

Vidua, Cuvier, Legons d'Anat. Comp. i, Tabl. 2 (1800). V. principahs.

Bill more or less lengthened, cone-shaped, compressed laterally ;
the culmen much arched or nearly straight from the base to the tip,
and advancing on the forehead to a point ; the lateral margins
sinuated or straight, the gonys lengthened and ascending ; the

144 PLOCElD-aE VIDUA

nostrils basal, lateral, almost hidden by the frontal feathers and
rounded. Wings moderate ; the first quill spurious, the second
nearly as long as the third ; the third, fourth and fifth nearly equal
and longest. Tail of moderate length, in the male the four centre
feathers greatly elongated and of various forms. Tarsi slender,
scaled anteriorly ; toes long and slender, the lateral ones nearly
equal, the hind toe as long as the inner. Claws long and sharp.
Plumage : in winter the two sexes hardly distinguishable, in the
breeding season conspicuously different, owing to the assumption
by the male of a highly decorative dress, including the four
elongated central tail-feathers.

The Widow, or Whydah Birds, as they are sometimes termed,
comprise five species, confined to the Ethiopian region. They are
of small size, and, according to Dr. Butler, in ** Foreign Finches
in Captivity;" ''are readily distinguished from the Ornamental
Finches and from the Weavers, inasmuch as all of them, when
feeding upon the ground, scratch the earth with their feet with a
shuffling motion, somewhat reminding one of a fowl. When
courting, they rise and fall in the air above the hen, flapping their
wings rythmically and then suddenly swoop down at her with a
squeal.

" All the Whydahs have a harsh song, approaching that of the
Weavers, but sometimes with a few clear notes interspersed ; like
the latter birds, they will live entirely upon millet, canary and
paddy-rice, caring little for green food. They do not seem to be
great insect-eaters, though they will sometimes accept mealworms
or green caterpillars."

The Widow-birds are polygamous, each male being generally
accompanied by from ten to fifty or more, females. Very little is
known of their nesting habits, but the females doubtless build
domed nests in the grass like the Coliopasseres. The eggs have not
been described.

Key to the Species,

a. The four central tail-feathers greatly elongated,

between three and four times the length of the

wing.

a^ Central feathers narrow and of. nearly equal

width throughout, the webs convex, so that

the outer pair enclose the inner. Bill red ... V. principalis, $ in

summer, p. 145.

PLOCEID^ VIDUA 145

&^ Central feathers webbed only for two or three
inches at the ends, the rest bare shaft.
Bill red V.regia, ^ in summer.

p. 148.

c*'. Central feathers very broad ; the inner pair

webbed at base for about four inches, the
shafts extending several inches further, and
twisted, so that the inner surfaces are op-
posed ; the outer pair about twelve inches
long with a hair-like filament attached to
the base of each. Bill black V. paradisea, ^ in

summer, p. 150.
h. Tail shorter than the wing.
d}. BiU red.

a^. Crown reddish-buff, unstreaked, bordered
by a broad black streak.
Eyebrow reddish -buff.

Wing 2-65 ; tail 2-20 F. principalis, ^

p. 146.

Wing 2-85 ; tail 2-25 V. principalis, ^ in

winter, p. 146.
b^. Crown whitish streaked with brown,
bordered by a streak of dusky.
Eyebro\y whitish.

Wing2-80; tail 2-00 V.regia, ? p. 148.

Wing 2-90 V.regia, ^ in winter,

p. 149,
eK Bill light brown.

c^. Crown buff slightly streaked with black
and bordered by a broad streak of black.
Eyebrow buff.
Wing 3-00; tail 2-50 V.paradisea, ? p. 150.

77. Yidua principalis. Pin-tailed Widoiu Bird.

Emberiza principalis, Linn. Sijst. Nat. i, p. 313 (1766).

Vidua principalis, Cuvier, Begne Anim. i, p. 389 (1817) ; Layard, B. S.
Afr. p. 189 (1867) ; Gurney in Andersson's Birds of Damara Land,
p. 181 (1872) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. 8. Afr. pp 453, 848 (1884) ;
id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 203 (1890) ; Butler, Foreign Finches, p. 278,
pi. ^ and ? (1894) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 23 (1896).

" Koning-Koodebec " of Dutch Colonists.

Dominican Widow Bird ; Common Widow Bird of EngUsh.

Description. Adult male in breeding plumage. — Above, crown and
mantle black, a white collar separating the crown from the mantle ;
10

146 PLOCEID^ VIDUA

lower back, rump and upper tail- coverts white, the coverts streaked
with black ; lesser and middle wing-coverts white ; rest of wing
black, the feathers broadly edged with reddish-buff ; tail-feathers
black variegated with white, the four centre feathers greatly elongated
and pure black ; cheeks, ear-coverts, sides of face and neck, as well
as entire under surface of body white, a patch of black on each side
of the chest ; in some specimens the chin is black ; under tail and
wing-coverts white.

Iris brown ; bill red ; feet light brown.

Length to end of short tail-feathers 5-15 ; of long feathers 12-50 ;
wing 2-85 ; tail, not including long feathers, 2-25 ; including long
feathers, 9*60 ; tarsus 0*70 ; culmen 0'4:0.

Vidua 'principalis.

Adult female. — Above reddish-buff streaked with black ; crown
darker dotted with black and bordered on each side by a black
streak ; eyebrows and feathers below the eye huffish ; behind the eye
a black streak ; a third black streak includes the upper sar-coverts ;
rest of ear-coverts, cheeks and under surface of body reddish-buff ;
the centre of breast and abdomen and under tail and wing-coverts
white ; lesser and middle wing-coverts black edged with buff;
greater coverts black edged with tawny ; quills blackish edged with
grey ; tail-feathers dusky brown with a patch of white towards the
end of the inner web of the outer feathers.

Iris brown ; bill red ; feet light brown.

Length 4-75 ; wing 2-60 ; tail 2-20 ; tarsus 0-60 ; culmen 040.

Adidt male in winter. — Resembles the female, but the wings are
darker the throat whiter ; it is also somewhat larger ; wing 2-85 ;
tail 2-25.

Young of the year. — Above uniform brown, the wing- coverts
redder ; rest of wing dusky brown, the quills edged with lighter
reddish-brown ; tail like the wing ; crown like the back ; face,
cheeks and under surface of body buff-white, darker on the sides
a,nd flanks; axillaries and under wing-coverts dull white; bill black.

PLOCEID^ VIDUA 147

Specimens from South Africa are larger than those from more
northern locaHties.

Distrihution. — On the west coast from the Orange Eiver to
Senegambia ; on the east from Knysna in Cape Colony to
Abyssinia. It also ranges throughout the Congo Valley region
and extends to the White Nile and Central Lake district. It is
generally distributed in ''grassy " districts in Eastern Cape Colony,
Natal, Zululand and the Transvaal, as well as in the Orange Free
State. Mr. Andersson states that in Damara Land it is " rather a
scarce species, much more so than Vidua regia ; it only occurs
during the rainy season, and is generally seen in pairs or in very
small flocks."

Habits. — In addition to its wide range, this species of Widow
Bird, in South Africa, everywhere largely outnumbers its congeners,
and in many districts is a very common bird. During autumn and
winter they occasionally collect in very large flocks, frequently
mingled with those of the smaller Weavers and Waxbills. In
summer they disperse in smaller parties, each consisting of a single
male and from ten to forty or even fifty females. The Pin -tail
Widow Bird is much more lively and active in its movements than
are the two other species of the genus, and the cock is, notwith-
standing his long tail, an excellent flier. As Ayres remarks,
" During the breeding season, when the wonderful tail of the cock
bird is fully developed, he will sometimes rise until nearly out of
sight, when he suddenly descends with much velocity, and if
approached flakes off with ease and swiftness." The same gentle-
man writes, " The male of this species has a curious habit of
hovering over his mate when she is feeding on the ground, bobbing
up and down as you see the Mayflies and Midges do on a summer's
evening in England. This exercise he generally continues some
minutes without resting." Like the other Widow Birds the present
species feed upon small seeds, principally grass-seeds, also upon
small insects and their eggs. Its ordinary call-note is a sharp
chirp but in spring the male utters a soft warbling song from the
top of a bush or tall weed. In Natal this species breeds during the
wet season, from November to the end of February or beginning of
March. A somewhat openly woven domed nest of fine grass is
suspended between the stems of a thick grass tuft a few inches off
the ground, the ends of the growing grass being tied together over
the nest so as to completely conceal it. The only nests that I
have seen contained young birds, from three to four in number.
The eggs have not been described.

148 PLOCEIDiE VIDUA

A nest brought to Heuglin in Abyssinia, and ascribed by
him to the present species is, from the description, obviously that
of one of the African Tailor-birds.

^^ /

^"1^) 78. Vidua regia. Shaft-tailed Widow Bird.

Emberiza regia, Linn. Sijst. Nat. i, p. 313 (1766).

Vidua regia, Cuvier, Begne Anim. i, p. 389 (1817) ; Layard, B. 8. Afr.

p. 188 (1867) ; Gicrney in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 181

(1872) •,,^BucMey, Ihis, 1874, p. 381 ; Holub and Pelzeln, Beitr. Orn.

8uda.fr. p. 123 (1882) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1882, p. 354, 1886, p. 342 ; id.

B. Afr. i, p. 23 (1896) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. 8. Afr. pp. 453,

848 (1884).
Tetraenura regia, Beichenb. Singv. p. 61, Tab. xxvi. figs. 217, 218

(1861) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 209.

Description. Adult male in breeding plumage. — Above, crown,
back, wiiig-coverts, secondaries, and four central tail-feathers black,
remaining tail-feathers brown, with a white spot near the end of
the inner web ; bastard wing, primary coverts and primaries brown
edged with whitish-brown ; a collar round the back of neck, sides
of neck, cheeks, and entire under surface of body tawny-buff,
darker on the sides and flanks ; sides of vent and under tail-coverts
black ; a tuft on the flanks and under wing-coverts white ; thighs
tawny.

Iris hazel ; bill and feet red.

Length to end of longest tail-feathers, 12-00 ; exclusive of long
feathers 4-25 ; wing 2*90 ; tail 9-50, exclusive of long feathers
1-75 ; tarsus 0-60 ; culmen 0-40.

The four central, elongated tail-feathers are webbed at their
ends for from two to three inches, the rest of them consists of bare
shaft.

Adult feinale. — Eesembles the female of Vidua paradisea, but
lacks the reddish -buff crown and eyebrow, also the black streak over
the ear-coverts, the crown being whitish with a lateral streak of
dusky, the centre streaked with brown ; a white spot on the inner
webs of the outer tail-feathers, as in the male.

Length 4-20 ; wing 2-80 ; tail 2-00.

Young of the 2/ear.— Nearly uniform brown, but of a lighter
shade than the young of Vidua principalis, the general colour of the
lower surface of the body being buff-yellow ; eyebrow, ear-coverts
and sides of face buff-yellow.

PLOCEID^ VIDUA 149

Adult male in tvinter. — Closely resembles the female, but is a
little larger.

Distribution. — From Colesberg, in Cape Colony, to the Zambesi
Eiver, Damara Land and Benguela. From the Vaal Eiver to the
Zambesi (Holub). By no means uncommon in Damara Land and
the adjacent parts during the wet season (Andersson) ; fairly abun-
dant near Kanye, in the Matabili country ; several seen chasing
each other about near Selenia Pan (Ayres) ; not uncommon at
Tati (Frank Gates) ; once met with in Benguela (Anchieta).

, Habits, — I have only had limited opportunities of observing this
species in Natal, where I have found it frequenting much the same
localities as the commoner Vidua paradisea, grassy plains and
marshy ground interspersed with groves of trees or bushes. It is
polygamous, each male in spring being accompanied by from ten to
twenty females. At this season the beautiful cocks are very
pugnacious and are constantly fighting and chasing one another,
their long tails in no means incommoding their flight, as is the case
with Vidua paradisea. They are, indeed, of much more active
habits than are the latter birds. Their call-note is a sharp chirp,
occasionally uttered, but the cocks, in moments of excitement,
indulge in a short and rather feeble song. They feed almost entirely
on grass seeds. Although I have never found a nest, I have every
rea&on to suppose, from having on several occasions carefully
watched the birds, that each female builds a separate one in the
long grass, the cock not interfering, beyond keeping watch and
warning the hens by his alarm-call, should danger approach.

77^

79. Vidua paradisea. Paradise Widoiv Bird.

Emberiza paradisea, Linn. Sijst. Nat. i, p. 312 (1776).

Vidua paradisea, Cuvier, Begne Anim. i, p. 389, note (1817) ; Kirh,

Ibis, 1864, p. 332 ; Gurney in Andersson' s B. Damara Land, p. 181

(1872) ; Barratt, Ibis, 1876, p. 207 ; Shelley, Ibis, 1882, p. 207 ; id.

Ibis, 1886, p. 342 ; 1888, p. 302 ; id. B. Afr. i, p. 23 (1896).
Steganura paradisea, Bp. Conspec. i, p. 449 (1850) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M.

xiii, p. 211 (1890) ; Butler, Foreign Finches in captivity, p. 282,

pi. <^ and ? (1894).
Vidua verreauxi, Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afri. pp. 452, 848 (1884) ;

Ayres, Ibis, 1885, p. 345.
Steganura verreauxii, Holub and Pelzeln, Orn. Siidafr. p. 123 (1882).

150 PLOCBID^ VIDUA

Descriptioyi. Adult male in breeding pkmiage. — Entire head, face
and throat deep black ; a collar round the back of neck, passing
down the sides of neck to join the same colour on the breast, bright
mahogany red, fading on the abdomen into buff ; thighs, vent and
under tail-coverts black ; axillaries and under wing-coverts white
tinged with rufous and black ; edge of wing mottled black and
white ; remaining upper surface, including the wing-coverts, second-
aries and tail black ; primaries light brown edged with whitish ;
on each side of the lower back a white spot.

Iris reddish-brown ; bill black ; legs and feet brown.

Length to end of longest tail-feathers 14*75, exclusive of the
long feathers 5*25; wing 300; tail 12*00; exclusive of long
feathers 2-50 ; length of two longest feathers 12*00 ; breadth 1-50 ;
length of two central feathers 4*00, the bare shafts extending 2-00
beyond this, breadth 2-00 ; attached to the base of each long feather
is a hair-like filament of the same length as the feather ; originally
these filaments adhered to the margin of the outer web of each
feather, becoming detached as soon as the feathers reached their
full growth. According to Dr. Butler, the elongated tail-feathers
decrease in breadth but increase in length with the age of the bird,
the longest feathers in a very old cage bird measuring 13| inches.
Tarsus 0*65 ; culmen 0*45.

Adtdt female. — Above reddish-brown streaked with black ; wing-
coverts brown, margined externally with reddish-brown ; quills dusky
edged with reddish-brown ; upper tail-coverts black margined with
white ; tail feathers blackish-brown slightly tipped with white and
edged with rufous ; crown sandy-buff slightly streaked with black
and bordered on each side by a broad streak of black ; a broad eye-
brow buff ; lores and feathers round eye white ; ear-coverts pale
sandy-buff streaked above with black ; sides of neck tawny streaked
with black ; cheeks and under-surface of body buff- white, washed
with tawny red on the breast, side and flanks, the breast slightly
streaked with black at the sides ; thighs, under-tail and wing-
coverts white, the outer under-wing coverts with black bases;
axillaries tawny-buff.

Iris brown ; bill light brown ; feet brown.

Length 6-00; wing 3*00 ; tail 2-50; tarsus 0*65 ; culmen 0-40.

The male in winter closely resembles the female in plumage.

Yoimg of the year. — Uniform ash-brown, the head greyer, also
the face and throat ; breast and sides tawny-brown ; lower breast,
abdomen and under tail-coverts white ; bill brown.

PL0CEIDJ3 VIDUA 151

Distribution. — From the neighbourhood of King William's Town
in Eastern Cape Colony, to the eastward through Natal, Zululand,
the Eastern Transvaal and Mosambique to Abyssinia; and from
thence, through the valley of the White Nile, to Senegambia. It is
not uncommon in some parts of Natal and the Eastern Transvaal, in
the latter country in the valleys of the Limpopo and Sabi Rivers,
and on the line of the Pretoria and Delagoa Bay Railway.

Vidua paradisea. -<.a ^

/
■■: /> t 'c iv

Habits. — This species, nowhere very abundant in South Africa, ^4,^^
is still not rare in some parts of Natal and the Eastern Transvaal, in y,^>_^^y '^ <
rather open "bush-veldt " ; localities in which little oases of grass y-^t^,,^ ^^^^
are more or less surrounded by thorny bushes. The handsome lx^ (c >^ <
cock, in spring and summer, is fond of perching on a prominent ^-^^ ■ i^^
bush, from which he takes short undulating flights, returning ^

invariably to the same perch. Occasionally he will hover for a few .^^ * '^^^^
seconds over the grass in which one of his little brown mates is '--^^
hidden, for he has many, from ten to fifty or more. At short f^^6'^^t^9U
intervals he utters a flute-like note, and now and then a few bars of '^^- ' * *;
his love song. When at rest the longest tail feathers are allowed ^^^="^ - - ■'■
to hang down, but in flight they are carried horizontally. Like 77"'^r77x*
the other Widow Birds this species feeds almost entirely on grass-
seeds. The change of plumage, from winter to spring livery, in the
male is completed in about six weeks. I have never been able to
find the nest of this species, nor, so far as I have been able to
ascertain, has anyone been more fortunate in this respect than my-
self. Dr. Russ has, however, succeeded in getting it to breed in
confinement, by turning a cock with three hens into a large room.
In November a sort of double nest was built on the wire bottom of
a high hanging cage. One nest was shaped like a baker's oven,
roofed over and neatly rounded ; the other was a flat and loosely
constructed hollow. The first nest, when examined, contained
three dead young ones, the other a single living one, which w^as
fed by two females. The male did not trouble himself about either
the nest or young, -^r^ y^ ^ ; ,- 1 6i^/^^^<^

/nrmi

152 PLOCEID^ HYPOCHERA

Genus VI. HYPOCHERA.

Type.

Hypochera, Bonaparte, Conspectus^ i, p. 450 (1850) ...H. aenea.

Bill short, conical, broad at the base, the culmen curved, some-
what swollen and rounded, pointed at the tip. Nostrils basal, the
opening rounded and almost entirely hidden by nasal plumes.
Wings moderately long, the outer quill minute, the second shorter
than the third, the fourth and fifth equal and longest ; tail short and
nearly square ; tarsus as long as the middle toe, covered anteriorly
with broad scales ; toes slender and rather short, the lateral toes
nearly equal, the outer united at its base ; claws small and curved.
Plumage : in winter the male like the female ; in summer the male
with a special breeding dress quite unlike that of the hen.

About seven species and races are included in the genus, all
confined to the Ethiopian region. One species and two races range
into South Africa.

The HypochercB or Short-tailed Widow Birds form a connecting
link between the Viduce or Long-tailed Widow Birds and the Fring-
illidce, or Finches. In their seasonal changes of plumage, apart
from the assumption of a long tail by the male in spring, in the
colours of the females and in their general habits they resemble the
ViducBf but they build their nests in holes of walls and buildings
and lay white eggs. Dr. Euss, from observations made on the
northern H. oenea in confinement, is led to remark, " The ' Atlas-
Bird ' is commonly numbered among the Ornamental-finches, but
nevertheless incorrectly, for he proves his correspondence with the
Whydah-finches in nearly every particular ; he has the yearly
change of colour, the fowl-like scratching, the jumping-flight love-
sport, as well as the tempestuous disposition."

Key to the Species.

Entire head and body in the male during the
breeding season dull purplish -black with but
little gloss, sometimes with a white patch
on each side of the lower back H. funerea, p. 153.

Head and body in the male at the correspond-
ing season deeper and more glossy purplish
black H. f. nigerrima, p. 154.

Head and body in the breeding male greenish-
black glossed steel green H. f. amauroptera, p. 154.

0?'

PLOCEID^ HYPOCHERA 153

80. Hypochera funerea. Black Widow Fmch.

Fringilla funerea, De Tarragon, lievuc ZooL, 1847, p. 180.
Tiaris funerea, Gray, Genera B. ii, p. 375 (1849).
Hypochaera funerea, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 310 (1890).
Hypochera funerea, SheUei/, B. Afr. i, p. 23 (1896).

Hypochera funerea. S .

Description. Adult male in summer. — Entire head and body,
as well as the wing-coverts and inner secondaries, purple-black,
slightly glossy, with or without a tuft of white feathers on each
side of the lower back ; primary wing -coverts and quills, also the
outer secondaries light brown ; tail-feathers light brown edged with
whitish ; axillaries, under wing-coverts and inner margin of the
quills buff.

Iris brown ; bill white ; feet red.

Length 4*25 ; wing 2-70 ; tail 160 ; tarsus 0*55 ; culmen 0-40.

Adult female. — Above brown, each feather with a dark centre ;
wing and tail-quills brown with paler edges ; eyebrow whitish with
a dusky streak above ; sides of face whitish ; below ash-white,
darker on the sides and flanks.

Length 4*00 ; wing 2-50 ; tail 1-40 ; tarsus 0-55 ; culmen 0*40.

Adtdt males in ivinter and young males closely resemble the
female.

Distribution. — From Natal through Zululand, Portuguese East
Africa and the Eastern Transvaal to Nyasaland and German East
Africa ; doubtfully from Senegambia and the Niger.

Weenan Natal (Arnold) ; Berg Mountain, Natal (Gordge) ;
Zomba, Nyasaland (Whyte).

Habits. — Very little has been recorded regarding the habits of
the present Widow Finch ; those of the closely allied H. 2iUramarina
of North-east Africa are much better known, thanks to Brehm
and Heuglin, and as they are probably very similar, I have
taken the following account of the more northern bird from the
latter author, who states that in Nubia '• it is an abundant resident

7

t

154 PLOCEIDiE HYPOCHERA

and almost exclusively an inhabitant of the native villages, together
with Lagonosticta minima. It is a lively little bird, which enters the
houses in search of food and water. The males change to the
breeding plumage at the commencement of the rainy season. These
birds prefer the clay huts of the Nubians to the straw houses of the
Soudanese, and usually a few pairs live about the same farm-building.
The song is not remarkable, the call-note a very sharp, and rather
harsh chirp. Brehm states that the nest is built indifferently upon
trees, under the rafters of roofs, in the gable ends, and in holes in
walls. It resembles that of a House-sparrow in being a large but
orderly heap of straws, rags, cotton, feathers, and so on ; the
depression being lined with hairs and threads. Occasionally this
bird uses the deserted nest of a swallow and sometimes a hole in a
tree. The eggs are white and from three to five in number." All
the HypochercB feed on small seeds which they find on the ground,
frequently by scratching like a fowl. Occasionally they take small
insects.

81. Hypochera funerea nigerrima. Purple Widow Finch.

Hypochaera nigerrima, SJiarpe, P.Z.S. 1871, p. 133 ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii,
p. 311 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 23 (1896).

Description.— (From Cat. B. M.). ''Adult (type of species).
Similar to H. funerea, and with the same brown wings, but with
the plumage deep purplish black above and below. Total length
4*4 inches ; culmen 0*4 ; wing 2-6 ; tail 1*4 ; tarsus 0.55."

Distribution. — " From Angola to the Upper Congo Eegion and
south to the Zambesi " (Kirk) ; Zomba, Nyasaland (Whyte).

82. Hypochera funerea amauroptera.

^ / Steel- coloured Widoio Finch.

Amadina nitens, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 20 (1867).

Hypochaera ultramarina (nee Gm.), Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara

Land, p. 175 (1872) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 457

(1884) pt.
Hypochaera amauropteryx, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 309 (1890).
Hypochera amauroptera, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 23 (1896).

Description. Adult inale in sumrner. — Entire head and body
dark greenish-black glossed with steel-blue ; wings brown.
Iris brown ; bill whitish ; feet red.

FKINGILLIDiE 155

Length 4-10 ; wing 2-70 ; tail 1-55 ; tarsus 0-55 ; culmen 0 40.

Adult male in luinter. — Closely resembles the female.

Adult female. — Like the female of H. funerea.

Young, — Resemble the female.

Distribution. — South Africa from the Transvaal to the Zambesi
and Mosambique, extending westward to Ovampo Land (Sharpe).

Zambesia**in large numbers. Everywhere common" (Kirk);
Rustenburg, Transvaal (Lucas) ; Ondongo, Ovampo Land
(Andersson).

Habits. — Resemble those of the other species of the genus. Mr.
Barratt writes in the '' Ibis" for 1876, p. 207, under the synonym
H. chalybeata, " I found a few of this species in and around a large
fruit-garden, a few miles from Rustenburg. The ones procured
were scattered about the hedgerows, where I shot them." Sir
John Kirk remarks that the birds are " extremely variable in
plumage and feed on grass- seeds."

Family V. FRINGTLLID^.

Bill very variable, but usually more or less stout and conical,
the edges of the mandibles smooth, the nostrils close to the frontal
plumes and nearer the culmen than the commissure. Wing with
only nine primaries that are easily found, the outer, if present, being
very minute and often displaced by the growth of the* next. Tail of
twelve feathers. Tarsi covered at the sides by entire laminae,
scutellated anteriorly. One complete moult in the year, in autumn,
but a partial change of colour in spring, due to the falling off of the
worn feather tips. Frequently gregarious and more or less arboreal
in their habits, omnivorous in their diet, and generally good songsters.
With the exception of the Sparrows and one or two South American
species, all the Finches build open nests, usually in trees or bushes,
and feed their young on insects and on partially digested food from
their crops. Their eggs vary greatly but are usually coloured and
spotted or streaked.

About five hundred and sixty species of Finches are known,
distributed over the entire globe excepting only Australasia and the
Antarctic regions.

Dr. Sharpe, in the twelfth volume of the Catalogue of Birds in
the British Museum, divides the Fringillidcs into three subfamilies,
as follows : —

156 FRINGILLID^

a. Nasal bones produced backwards beyond the

front of orbit ; mandible very powerful and

deep posteriorly ; angle of gonys very slight .. . Coccothraustince.

b. Nasal bones not produced beyond the front of

orbits.

a'. Cuttmg edges of mandibles in contact through-
out ; the angle formed by the lower mandible
at chin very slight Fringillince.

b^. Cutting edges of mandible not everywhere in
contact, a gap being left. Angle at chin
more acute Emberizince.

The Coccothraustince are not represented in South Africa.

Subfamily I. FKINGILLIN^.

This subfamily includes the Sparrows, Canaries and Seedeaters,
as well as other Finches with a bill of mediuai size, with the edges
of the two mandibles in contact throughout. They have one
complete annual moult, in autumn, and a change of colour in spring
from the falling off of the tips of the feathers. The young resemble
the females ; the latter are generally of duller colours than the
males. Sixty species are Ethiopian, eighteen South African.

Key to the Genera.

a. Wmg longer : falling short of the tail- tip by less

than the length of the tarsus; nostrils ex-
posed; a yellow throat- spot Petronia, ip. 157.

b. Wing shorter : falling short of the tail-tip by

more than the length of the tarsus ; nostrils
more or less concealed by plumes ; no yellow
throat-spot.
a\ Bill somewhat elongated, the upper mandible
deeper than the lower.

a^. Head imiform, unstreaked Passer, p. 159.

b'^ Head dark brown streaked with white Foliosjjiza, p. 164.

b^. Bill shorter, the upper mandible about as deep
as the lower ; both culmen and gonys much
curved.

c^. No chestnut-red in the plumage Serinus, p. 166.

d^. Back chestnut-red or brown Alario, p. 179.

t•^ Outline of culmen and gonys, as well as the

sides of bill much straighter Chrysomitris, p. 181.

FRINGIIiLIDiE PETRONIA 157

Genus I. PETRONIA.

Tyye.
Petronia, Kaup, Syst. Nat. p. 158 (1829) P. petronia.

Bill strong and somewhat swollen, the culmen slightly curved
towards the tip, the edges of the upper mandible turned inwards
near the point, the gonys ascending rather abruptly towards the
extremity, forming a distinct angle. Nostrils exposed. Wings
long (longer than in Passer), falling short of the end of the tail by
less than the length of the tarsus. Plumage plain and sparrow-
like, but with a large yellow spot in the centre of the lower throat
in the South African and some of the other species.

The genus Petronia contains six species of sparrow-like birds
found in South and Central Europe and over the greater part of
Asia and Africa. They differ from the true Sparrows in having
longer bills and wings.

They frequent rocky localities, and hence are commonly known
as Eock Sparrows, are gregarious in their habits, feed on seeds and
insects, and build in holes and crevices of rocks. They lay spotted
eggs, which resemble those of the true Sparrows. The sexes differ
but slightly in colour.

yt'^

Petronia petronella.

83. Petronia pe'tronella. South African Bock Sparrow.

Fringilla petronella ? Liclit. ; fide Gray, Hand-b. B. ii, p. 84 (1870).

Xanthodira flavigularis, Bund. (Efv. K. Vet.-Ahad., Fork. Stocl'h.
(1850), p. 98.

Petronia petronella, Bp. Consj). i, p. 513 (1850) ; Gurney in Anders-
sorb's B. Damara Land p. 186 (1872) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. 8,
Afr. pp. 481, 850 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xii, p. 297 (1888).

Petronia flavigula, Shelley, Ibis (1882), p. 357 ; id. B. Afr. i, p. 19
(1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above brown, the mantle mottled
with black; wing-coverts brown, the middle and greater tipped

158 FRINGILLID^ PETRONIA

with buff; quills dark brown, edged with reddish-brown, the secon-
daries slightly tipped with whitish; tail-feathers brown, edged with
brownish-white ; crown dark brown ; lores dusky ; eyebrow cream-
coloured ; ear-coverts brownish ; cheeks brown ; a streak of dark
brown over the ear-coverts ; below brown, a patch of bright yellow
in the centre of the lower throat ; the chin, centre of abdomen and
under tail-coverts whitish ; axillaries and under wing-coverts pale
brown ; under surface of quills dusky, their inner margins grey.

Iris brown ; bill horn-brown, lighter below ; legs and feet
brown.

Length 6-50 ; wing 3'85 ; tail 2-40 ; tarsus 0-80 ; culmen 0-65.
Adult female — Is somewhat smaller and has the yellow throat-
spot smaller and less bright.

Length 6-25 ; wing 3-55 ; tail 2-35.

Young. — Like the female, but paler; the throat spot hardly
visible.

Distribution. — From the neighbourhood of Cape Town to Damara
Land, on the west coast ; to the eastward, through Cape Colony and
Natal into the Transvaal, ranging as far north as the Zambesi, and
across that river into Nyasaland, where it has been obtained by
Mr. Whyte at Zomba.

Habits. — Although this Sparrow may be sometimes seen hopping
about rocks, it is more frequently to be met with among trees, and
especially Euphorbias, from the bark of which it appears to glean a
considerable amount of food in the shape of small beetles and other
insects. Mr. T. Ayres writes regarding its habits in Mashona-
land : ** These Sparrows are not uncommon about the Umvuli,
frequenting the high trees and feeding much as the Tomtits do,
hanging about the outer twigs and eating the young buds, &c. ; as,
however, food of all kinds is scarce for birds, this may not be a
usual habit. They are now mostly in pairs, and their loud, sparrow-
like note, often repeated in the early morning, attracts one's atten-
tion to them."

This species appears to feed very largely on insects, which it
finds in crevices of rocks and in the bark of trees. It also eats small
seeds of grass and various weeds. It builds a large sparrow-like
nest of dry grass and feathers in the hole of a tree or rock, and lays
three or four eggs, which resemble those of the Cape Sparrow, but
they are slightly larger as a rule, and more sparingly but distinctly
spotted with dark, slaty-brown.

FEINGILLID^ PASSER 159

Genus II. PASSER.

Type.
Passer, Briss, Om. iii, p. 71 (1760) P. domesticus.

Bill stroDg and hard, somewhat conical, but bulging above and
below, longer than deep ; the upper mandible larger than the lower,
the edges nearly plain. Nostrils basal, lateral, rounded, nearly-
hidden by projecting and recurved frontal plumes. Gape straight.
Wings with the first primary small and attenuated, but distinctly
developed, the third and fourth rather the longest, the second
nearly as long. Tail moderate and nearly square. Tarsi stout,
nearly as long as the middle toe, scutellated anteriorly, the sides
covered by a single plate. Claws moderately curved and rather
short.

The genus Passer contains the well-known Sparrows, birds
which are found over the greater portion of Europe, Asia and
Africa, and some species of which have been of recent years intro-
duced into North America and Australia, where they have increased
enormously. Twenty-six species of the genus are described, and
three of these are resident in South Africa. One of these. Passer
arcuatus, has, since the advent of Europeans, adapted itself to its
altered surroundings, and is now chiefly known as an inhabitant of
towns and villages. The majority of the Sparrows are of social habits,
living in large or small communities. They feed both on grain and
insects, and build, sometimes large and warmly lined domed nests
in trees or bushes, at others more open nests in holes of trees, rocks
or buildings. They lay from three to six eggs, which are usually
much mottled and spotted with brown and slate- colour, and rear
several broods in a season.

Key to the Species,
a. A white eyebrow.
<x\ Crown, ear-coverts, cheeks and throat black... P. arcuatus, ^ , p. 160.
b^. Crown, ear coverts, cheeks and throat duskj^-

brown P. arciiatu.s, 2 » P* 160.

h. A reddish-buff eyebrow,
c^ Crown, back of neck and ear-coverts grey;

throat black P.motitensis,^ ,t^.1^2.

d}. Crown and back of neck brown ; ear-coverts

whitish; throat dusky P. motitensis, ?,p.l63.

c. No eyebrow.

e^. Crown, neck and sides of face dark grey;

throat whitish ; sexes alike in plumage P. diffuses, p. 163.

160 FEINGILLID^ PASSER

1^ c 84. Passer arcuatus. Cape Sparroiu. . ,

Fringilla arcuata, Gm. Syst. Nat i, p. 912 (1788).

Passer arcuatus, Graij, Gen. B. ii, p. 373 (1849) ; Layard, B. 8. Afr.
p. 204 (1867) ; Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 185,
(1872); Holiib and Von. Pelz. Beitr. Orn. Sildafr. p. 131 (1882);
SJiarpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. pp. 478, 850 (1884) ; id. Cat. B
M. xii, p. 333 (1887) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 20 (1896).

" Mossie" of Dutch Colonists.

Passer arcuatus. S .

Description. Adult male in summer. — Above, cinnamon-red
tinged with grey on the back of neck and mantle ; lesser wing-
coverts cinnamon-red ; middle coverts black tipped with white ;
greater coverts black edged with brown and tipped with white ;
quills black edged with brown ; upper tail-coverts brown ; tail-
feathers black edged with rufous ; crown black ; eyebrows, sides
of neck and posterior half of cheeks white ; lores, feathers round
eyes, ear-coverts, anterior half of cheeks, throat, and upper breast
black ; rest of under surface dull white tinged with grey on the
sides and thighs ; axillaries and under wing-coverts white ; under
surface of quills dusky with fulvous inner margins.

Iris brown ; bill black ; legs and feet brown.

Length 6-00; wing 3-25 ; tail 2-45; tarsus 0*75; culmen 0-55.

Ad^dt male in ivinter. — Above, the plumage greyer than in
summer ; the black markings on the head and throat tinged with
brown.

Adult female. — Less bright than the male; the upper surface
browner ; crown, sides of face, ear-coverts and throat dusky-brown ;
a streak bordering the back of crown and a patch behind the
cheeks buff- white ; below, the breast and abdomen buff- white.
It is also smaller.

Length 5-60 ; wiog 2-95 ; tail 2-30.

FEINGILLID^ PASSER 161

Young. — Eesemble the female, but the throat is lighter.

Distribution. — South iVfrica : on the west coast froui Cape Town
to Benguela ; eastward to Natal and the Transvaal. The range of
this Sparrow in South Africa is, however, by no means general, and
there are many districts in which it is never seen. Andersson
remarks : '* this Sparrow is very abundant all over Damara and
Great Namaqualand, and extends as far south as the Cape."
Anchieta procured a single specimen in Benguela. I found it quite
common on the coast of Little Namaqualand and at Saldanha Bay.
At Cape Town it abounds and has become perfectly acclimatised to
town life ; in many parts of the Great Karroo it is a common
species, as at Prince Albert, but in the fertile country to the south
of the Swartzberg Range it is very scarce, and it has never been
heard of in the Knysna District up to the present time, 1898.
Mr. Marais' observations agree with those of W. Atmore, who
wrote to Layard, that they are "scarce in the Lange Kloof and
at George, while at the Knysna there are none at all." Layard
remarks : " We found none at Port Elizabeth, (though Mr.
Rickard says they are to be met with on the Amsterdam Flats),
nor were any to be seen at Van Staden's River or Uitenhage.
One pair were noticed at the half-way house between the former
place and Grahamstown ; at the latter place they were very scarce,
none at Highlands, and a single colony at Table Farm." This
species is very common on the Orange River, according to Dr.
Bradshaw. In Natal it is absent from the coast districts, but
becomes common in Upper Natal, in the neighbourhood of New-
castle, and elsewhere. It ranges into the Transvaal and Southern
Bechuanaland. Mr. Ayres found many at Spalding's, on Hart
River, in February. It is said not to be found in Griqualand East.

Habits. — Notwithstanding Layard's statement that, *' The
* Mossie,' like its cousin, the English bird, is essentially a * cit.',
in the country you certainly find him, but never away from human
habitations " ; this Sparrow is still to be found living a perfectly
wild life, at a great distance from human habitations, in many parts
of Little Namaqualand and the Great Karroo desert. Here it
affects the neighbourhood of mimosa trees, and appears to flourish
in the most dreary and waterless districts, feeding on small seeds
and insects and building its nest in some thorny bush or tree. It
seems probable that this Sparrow was originally a desert bird, and
has comparatively recently changed its habits in certain districts
and adapted itself to a town or village life. In autumn and winter
11

r^

162 FEIXGILLID^ PASSER

these Sparrows are frequently found in considerable flocks, often
consorting with other Finches and Weaver-birds ; even when nesting
they frequently form social communities and build many nests in the
same bush or tree ; occasionally I have seen a bush so packed with
nests that they formed a solid mass much like one of the collective
nests of a Social Weaver-bird. Very little in the way of food comes
amiss with the Cape Sparrow ; various small seeds, grain, berries,
fruit, green peas, and buds of trees are all acceptable, as well as the
majority of insects, grubs, the larvae of various flies, caterpillars,
small beetles, locusts, grasshoppers and termites. In its natural
feral state this is a somewhat shy and unobtrusive bird, but
in Cape Town it has all the tameness and assurance of a London
Sparrow, the same ability to take care of itself, and the same
pugnacity and combativeness. Its note, also, a sort of *' chissick,"
is to my ear exactly similar to that of the English bird. The
Cape Sparrow builds indiscriminately in holes of rocks or build-
ings, or in bushes or trees, but usually in the latter. The
nest, a domed structure, is more or less flask-shaped, with an
entrance from a few inches to more than a foot in length, through
a horizontally projecting neck. It is constructed of small sticks,
straws, dry grass, occasionally interwoven with rags and bits of
paper, the cavity being warmly lined with wool and feathers. Two
or three broods are reared in the year, the first eggs being laid in
September. These are from three to six in number, and vary
considerably in size, shape and colour ; they are usually of a
pale greenish-blue ground colour, thickly blotched and mottled with
various shades of brown and lavender. They average 0*75 x 0-58.
They are hatched at the end of twelve days. The young remain in
the nest for about twenty-four days, during which time they are fed
on grubs, caterpillars, and partially digested food from the crops of
the old birds.

85. Passer motitensis. Greater South African Sparrow.

Passer motitensis, Smith, III. Zool., S. Afr., Birds, pi. 114 (1849) ;
Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 204 (1867) ; Gurney in Anderssoii's B.
Damara Land p. 186 (1872) ; Sharpc, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr.
p. 480 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xii, p. 324 (1888) ; Shelley, B. Afr.
i, p. 20 (1896).

Descriptio7i. Adult inale. — Above, pale reddish brown streaked
with black on the mantle and scapulars ; the upper tail-coverts
tinged with grey ; lesser wing-coverts like the back ; middle

FRINGILLID^ PASSER 163

coverts blackish tipped with white, the greater blackish edged
and tipped with buff ; quills blackish edged with rufous ; tail-
feathers dark brown edged with paler brown ; crown and back
of neck grey ; a broad eyebrow reddish-buff ; in front of this a
white spot ; a black streak from the lores under the eye and above
the ear-coverts ; ear-coverts grey ; cheeks white, extending along
the sides of neck ; throat and upper chest black ; rest of under
surface white, tinged with brown on the sides and flanks ; axillaries
reddish-yellow ; under wing- coverts white, their bases dusky ;
quills below dusky, their inner margins grey.

Iris dark brown ; bill brown ; legs and feet pale brown.

Length 6-25 ; wing 3-25 ; tail 2'35 ; tarsus 0-85 ; culmen 0-60.

Adult female. — Above, fulvous-brown streaked with black ;
crown and back of neck brown ; throat blackish ; breast and sides
pale brown ; abdomen and under tail-coverts white.

Length 6-20 ; wing 3-25 ; tail 2-25.

Distribution. — From the Orange Kiver to Lake N'gami and
North Damara Land ; through the Northern Transvaal and Matabili
and Mashonaland to the Zambesi Eiver.

Habits. — Andersson gives the following note in the " Birds of
Damara Land," p. 186 : — ** I first met with its nest at Omapju, on
January 5, 1867 ; it was placed on the top of a thorn bush, about
seven feet from the ground ; and I subsequently met with several
other nests during the same month. The nest is large, and is
composed of coarse grass outside and fine grass within, and has
an additional lining- of feathers and other soft and warm materials ;
it is furnished with a long entrance, sometimes a foot or more in
length, which ends in a deep and wide hollow. The eggs are from
three to six ; but the most frequent number is four ; they are larger
than the eggs of P. arcuatus, and are invariably covered with a
glutinous matter which it is difficult to remove, even with the help
of water."

^0 86. Passer diifusus. Southern Grey -headed Sparrow.

Pyrgita diffusa, SrnitJi, Rep. Exp. Centr. Afr. (1836), App. p. 50.
Passer diffusus, Gray, Gen. B. ii, p. 373 (1849) ; Layard, B. S. Afr. p.

204 (1867) ; Gurney in Andersson'' s B. Da7nara Land, p. 187 (1872) ;

Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 480, 850 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M.

xii, p. 836 (1888) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 20 (1896).
Passer simplex, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 205 (1867).

Description. Adult male. — Above, dark reddish-brown ; lesser
and middle wing-coverts like the back, the inner middle coverts

164: FEINGILLIDiEJ POLIOSPIZA

tipped with white ; greater coverts brown edged with pale reddish-
brown ; quills and tail-feathers dark brown edged with reddish-
brown ; crown, sides of face and neck dark grey ; under surface
pale grey fading into dull white on the abdomen and under tail-
coverts ; axillaries and under wing-coverts brown.

Iris hazel-brown ; bill horn-brown ; legs and feet brown.

Length 6-00; wing 3-35 ; tail 2-45 ; tarsus 0-75 ; culmen 040.

Adult female. — Rather less bright in colour and shghtly smaller
in size. Wing 3*15 ; tail 235.

Distribution. — Northern and North-eastern Cape Colony ; the
Orange Free State, and Upper Natal to the north of Howick,
thence through the Transvaal and Bechuanaland to the Zambesi
and Cunene Rivers ; extending, on the east, into Nyasaland and
as far north as Zanzibar, on the west through Angola to Sene-
gambia. In Cape Colony it is a very common species in the valley
of the Orange River; in Natal it is "numerous and generally
distributed in November from Ladysmith, as far down as Howick,"
according to Majors Butler and Feilden and Captain Reid.

Habits. — Although by no means an uncommon bird in many
districts, the presence of this Sparrow is frequently undetected
owing to its somewhat unassuming colours as well as its shy habits.
Unlike the common Cape Sparrow it avoids towns and villages and
is more often met with at a distance from human habitations, either
feeding on the ground or perched on trees or bushes. From the
Cape Sparrow it is readily distinguished, not only by its less
conspicuous plumage but by its sharper and shriller notes, as well
as by its more rapid flight. Like all its congeners it is very
omnivorous in its tastes, feeding indiscriminately upon small seeds
of grass and millet, on wheat, berries, fruit and various insects,
including grubs, caterpillars, and young locusts and grasshoppers.
According to Andersson this species frequents the water in the
morning and evening. It roosts, in small companies, in bushes
and thickly foliaged trees. Its nest I have never seen.

Genus III. POLIOSPIZA.

Type.

Poliospiza, Bp. CoJispectus, i, p. 519 (1850) P. gularis.

Bill strong, conical and rather elongated, the maxilla somewhat
deeper than the mandible ; nostrils basal, rounded and hidden by
recurved frontal plumes. Wings rather short. Tail moderate and

FRINGILLID^

POLIOSPIZA 165

slightly forked. Tarsus scutellated anteriorly, the sides covered by
a single plate.

Plumage : crown brown, streaked with white in the typical
species. Sexes nearly alike.

The genus contains six species of African Finches ; one only is
resident in and confined to South Africa. In their habits they
resemble the other Seed-eaters or Canaries.

,,!^i^^^.

Poliospiza gularis.

' 87. Poliospiza gularis. Streaky -headed Seed-eater.

Linaria gularis, Smith, Bep. Exp. Centr. Afr. App. p, 49 (1836).
Fringilla gularis, Gratj, Gen. B. ii, p. 372 (1849) ; Layard, B. S. Afr.

p. 203 (1867).
Fringilla striaceps, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 204 (1867).
Poliospiza gularis, BjJ. Consp. i, p. 519 (1850) ; Gurney in Andersson^s

B. Damara Land, p. 183 (1872) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. pp.

482, 850 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xii, p. 343 (1888) ; Shelley, S. Afr. i,

p. 20 (1896).
Streep-Kop Seisje (Streaky-headed Seed-eater) of the Dutch Colonists.

Description. Adult male. — Above, grey-brown shghtly mottled
on the back with dusky ; lesser wing-coverts like the back ; rest of
wing and tail dusky brown, the feathers edged with brown and
whitish ; crown dark brown streaked with white ; a slight eyebrow
white ; ear-coverts and cheeks dusky brown ; sides of neck a lighter
brown ; throat white sparingly speckled with black ; rest of under
surface pale drab-brown, the abdomen lighter, the sides and flanks
tinged with brown ; under tail-coverts dull white streaked with
dusky ; axillaries and under wing-coverts light brown ; under
surface of quills dusky, their inner margins grey.

Iris hazel ; bill horn-coloured ; legs and feet pale brown.

Length 6-05; wing 2-95 ; tail 2-35; tarsus 0-70; culmen 0-55.

Adult female. — Similar to the male both in size and colour.

166 FRINGILLIDJS SERINUS

Young of the year. — The throat, breast and sides are tinged with
reddish-brown and streaked with dusky.

Distribution. — Cape Colony ; most abundant in the south and
south-east ; ranging into Great Namaqua and Bechuanaland on the
north, into Natal and the Southern and Eastern Transvaal to the
east. In the Colony this species is not uncommon in the neighbour-
hood of Swellendam, Knysna and Eland's Post. To the north of
the Orange Eiver it is only sparingly met with.

Habits. — In Cape Colony during autumn and winter these
finches are met with in small parties of six or seven, generally in
open bushy localities, where they feed on the ground on small grass
and other seeds. According to At more they are fond of tobacco
seed, chickweed and groundsel. If disturbed they utter a sharp
" chirp " as they take flight and fly off to seek refuge in some thick
bush, but as a rule they are rather silent birds. In September and
October they build in bushes or low trees. The nest is open and
cup-shaped, neatly and compactly constructed of dry grass and bents,
lined with white cottony seeds and down. The eggs, three or four
in number, are very faint bluish-white with usually a few dots or a
single streak of dark purplish black towards the larger end.

They measure 0-87 X 0-62.

Genus IV. SERINUS.

Type.
Serinus, Koch, Syst. Zool. p. 228 (1816) S. serinus.

Bill strong, short, somewhat conical, but very broad at the base
and with the distal half suddenly diminishing to the tip ; mandibles
nearly equal in size, but the upper slightly the longer ; edges plain.
Nostrils basal, round, and hidden by recurved frontal plumes.
Gape straight. Wings : the first primary very small, the second,
third and fourth nearly equal. Tail moderate, rather forked.
Tarsus slender, shorter than the middle toe, scutellated in front,
covered on each side by a single plate ; claws small and rather
weak.

The genus Serinus includes the majority of the birds com-
monly known as Canaries, or, in South Africa, as Seed-eaters ; in-
cluding the well-known ** domestic " as well as the wild Cape Canary.
About twenty-two species are known, distributed over Southern
Europe, Western Asia, North-western India, and the greater part of
Africa. Eleven species occur more or less frequently in South

FRINGILLID^ SERINUS 167

Africa. The majority are gifted with good voices, and several of
the species are pre-eminently brilliant songsters, and are, as a
result, favourite cage-birds. All feed on both seeds and insects.
They build open nests, and lay from three to six white, or bluish-
white eggs, sometimes unspotted, but more often marked with
black or brown dots and streaks. The young are fed on insects
and on partly digested food from the crops of the parent birds.

Serinus ftaviventris. 2 •

Key to the Species {after Sharpe).

a. Flanks unstreaked.

aK Chin and throat yellow.

a^. Sides and back of neck grey, crown yellowish S. canicoUis, p. 168.
b^. Sides and back of neck as well as the
crown greenish.
a^. Tail not tipped with white.

a\ Throat and abdomen yellow ; breast

and sides greenish S. sulphuratus,]). 169,

b*. Entire under surface yellow.

a-

Above greenish streaked with dusky S.fiaviventris $ , p. 170.
6-\ Above yellowish only slightly

streaked S.imberbis ^ , -p. 112.

c-\ Above brown-black S. rendalli (^,p. 172.

b^. Tail tipped with white S. icterus (^,p. 173.

¥. Chin and throat white,
c^. Eump yellowish.

¥. Eump greenish-yellow S. albigularis, p. 174.

c^. Kump bright yellow S. crocopygius, p. 176.

d^. Eump brown like the back S. leucopterus, p. 177.

b. Flanks streaked with dusky.

c\ Chin black, throat yellow :... S. scotops, p. 177.

d\ Chin and throat white jiSXsT, V-^i™*

Chin white, throat black S. angolensis, p. 178.

168 FEINGILLIDJE - SERINUS

88. Serinus canicollis. Caige Cananj.

Crithagra canicollis, Swains. An. in Menag. p. 317 (1837).

Serinus canicollis, B2:). Consp. i, p. 522 (1850) ; SJiarpe, ed. Layard's

B. S. Afr. pp. 488, 850 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xii, p. 350 (1888) ;

Butler, Foreign Finches, p. 27, pi. (1894) ; Shelleij, S. Afr. i, p. 21

(1896).
Fringilla canicollis. Grill, Zool. Antechn. p. 24 (1858) ; Layard, B. S.

Afr. p. 201 (1867).

" Canarie " of the Dutch.

Description. Adult male. — Above, greenish-yellow, the back
slightly mottled with dusky ; rump and upper tail-coverts yellower
and not mottled ; wing-coverts greenish-yellow ; quills black edged
with yellow ; tail-feathers dusky-brown edged externally with
yellow ; crown bright yellow, the occiput tinged with green ; the
back and sides of neck grey ; lores dusky ; ear-coverts grey ; eyelids,
sides of face, cheeks and under surface of body golden-yellow,
brighter on the breast, the sides and flanks tinged with green ;
lower abdomen and thighs whitish; axillaries and under wing-
coverts grey edged with yellow ; under surface of quills dusky,
their inner margins grey.

Iris dark brown ; bill pale brown ; legs and feet grey-brown.

Length 5'25 ; wing 340 ; tail 2-20 ; tarsus 0-55 ; culmen 0-40.

Adult female. — Above, the mantle and back browner than in the
male, streaked with dusky-brown ; crown pale yellow streaked with
dusky ; below a paler yellow.

Length 4-80 ; wing 2-90 ; tail 2-05 ; tarsus 055 ; culmen 0-40.

Distribution. — Resident in Cape Colony, Natal, the Orange Free
State and the Transvaal. Introduced into Eeunion.

Habits. — This well known and favourite cage-bird is, in its wild
state, a common resident in nearly all districts that are overgrown
with bushes or low trees varied with open glades and clearings.
It is perhaps most abundant on the bush-clad lower slopes of hills
and mountains as well as in gardens and shrubberies, and I have
met with it in some numbers among the low scrub on the sandy
coast of Little Namaqua Land. In autumn and winter small flocks
frequent the more open pasture and ploughed land, to feed, with
other finches and weaver-birds, on small seeds and insects that
they find on the ground. The justly admired song of the Cape
Canary is prolonged and very sweet, and is compared by Dr. Russ
to that of a Lark. Individual birds, however, even in a wild state,
differ remarkably in the singing powers, some being far superior to

FRINGILLID^ SERINUS 169

others in the richness and fulness of their notes. The cock of this
species has, in confinement, been known to pair with the hen of
both the Common Cage Canary and the Yellow-beUied Seed-eater.

In Cape Colony the Cape Canary usually breeds in September
and October, in Upper Natal in October and November. The nest,
neatly constructed and cup-shaped, is built in a thick low bush, of
dry grass and bents, with sometimes a little moss, lined with hair,
feathers, and downy seeds. The eggs, three or four in number, are
white, faintly tinged with blue, and streaked and spotted at the
obtuse end with purplish-brown and reddish-brown. They measure
0-75 X 0-55.

^'J 89. Serinus sulphuratus. Large Yellow Seed-eater.

Loxia sulphurata, Linv. Sijst. Nat. i, p. 305 (1766).

Crithagra sulphurata, Sivains. Zool. Journ. iii, p, 348 (1828) ; Layard,

B. S. Africa, p. 218 (1867) ; Sharpe, ed. Laijard, B. 8. Afr. p. 486

(1884).
Serinus sulphuratus, Shar2)e, Cat. B. M. xii, p. 352 (1887) ; Butler,

Foreign Finches, p. 29, pi. (1894) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 21 (1896).

" Geel Saysie" of Dutch Colonists.

Description. Adult male. — Above, greenish-yellow streaked with
blackish ; rump and upper tail-coverts yellower and unstreaked ;
lesser wing-coverts unstreaked greenish-yellow ; remaining wing-
feathers aii'i^ tail-feathers blackish edged with yellow ; lores dusky ;
a broad eyebrow golden-yellow ; crown and back of neck greenish-
yellow streaked with blackish ; feathers round the eye, ear-coverts
and cheeks dull greenish ; a broad band under the ear-coverts and
a spot at base of lower mandible golden-yellow ; throat golden-
yellow ; sides of neck, breast, sides and flanks pale greenish-yellow ;
rest of under surface, also the axillaries and under wing-coverts
yellow ; under surface of quills dusky with grey inner edges.

Iris hazel-brown ; upper mandible dusky yellow ; the lower pale
yellow ; legs and feet dusky brown.

Length 6-00; wing 3-25; tail 2-55 ; tarsus 0*75; culmen 0-55.

Adult female. — Slightly smaller and duller in colour ; the yellow
streak on the face smaller and less bright.

Length 575 ; wing 3-05 ; tail 2-50.

Distribution. — Throughout Cape Colony, the Orange Free State,
and the greater part of Natal, extending into the Transvaal and
thence northward to Masai Land in East Africa. In Cape Colony
/ / /^

170 FKINGILLID^?: SERINUS

it occurs near Cape Town, and is abundant in the neighbourhood of
Swellendam, Caledon, George, Beaufort West, and elsewhere. It
is fairly common in many parts of the Orange Free State and Natal.

Habits. — This large and conspicuously-coloured Seed-eater is
rather common in many parts of Cape Colony, both on open
pasture land and in bushy localities. In winter these birds form
considerable flocks, often joining with other finches to search for
seeds on the ground. The principal part of their food, however,
consists of small berries and their seeds ; the latter they crack with
their powerful bills for the sake of the kernels. In spring the
males sing delightfully, their notes being both powerful and mellow ;
for this reason they are frequently kept as cage-birds and even
exported to Europe. The nest, usually built in September in Cape
Colony, is a small and neat cup-shaped structure, and is nearly
always placed in a low bush, rarely more than four feet above the
ground. It is constructed outwardly of dry grass-stems and the
smaller stalks of plants, and is lined with finer grass and cottony
down. The eggs, generally four in number, are either white or
white faintly tinged with blue ; about one-half of them are
unspotted, the remaining half have a few deep black spots, or one
or two zig-zag markings towards the larger end. They are usually
somewhat elongated and tapering towards the smaller extremity.
They average 0-85 x 0-60.

Incubation lasts for fourteen days, and the young remain in
the nest for from three to four weeks. During this period they
are fed on insects and on the contents of the crops of the parent
birds. (O ^ ^

^{Ju 90. Serinus flaYiventris. Yellow -bellied Seed- eater.

Fringilla butyracea, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 321 (1766), 7iec Loxia

butyracea, Linn.
Crithagra fiaviventris, Sivains. Zool. Jour, iii, p. 348 (1828) ; Layard,

B. 8. Afr. p. 220 (1867) ; Sharjye, ed. Layard' s B. 8. Afr. p. 485

(1884).
Crithagra strigilata, 8ivains. An. in Menag. p. 317 (1837) ; Layard,

B. 8. Afr. p. 219 (1867) = the female.
Crithagra butyracea, BIyth, Cat. B. Mus. As. 8oc. p. 124 (1849) ;

Layard B. 8. Afr. p. 219 (1867) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. 8. Afr.

pp. 487, 850 (1884).
Serinus fiaviventris, 8harpe, Cat. B. M. xii, p. 353 (1887) ; Butler,

Foreign Finches, p. 31 pi. ^ and $ (1894) ; 8helley, B. Afr. i.

p. 21 (1896).
St. Helena Seed-eater. " Kleine Seisje " of the Dutch.

FRINGILLID^ SEEINUS 171

Description. Adult male, — Above, mantle and back yellowish-
green narrowly streaked with black ; rump unstreaked yellow ;
upper tail-coverts yellowish streaked with dusky ; lesser wing-
coverts greenish-yellow ; rest of wing blackish-brown, the feathers
edged with yellowish ; tail-feathers blackish edged with yellow ;
forehead and a broad eyebrow and plumes round the eye golden-
yellow ; crown greenish-yellow spotted with dusky ; lores dusky ;
ear-coverts greenish-yellow ; sides of face and cheeks yellow^ ;
below, the entire under surface of body, together with the axillaries
and under wing-coverts, golden-yellow.

Iris hazel ; bill horn-colour, darker above ; legs and feet dusky-
brown.

Length 5-40 ; wing 2-80 ; tail 2-20 ; tarsus 0-70 ; culmen 0-40.

Adult female. — Above, mantle and back greenish broadly streaked
with black ; rump unstreaked greenish ; upper tail-coverts dusky
edged with greenish; wings dusky brown, the feathers edged with
yellowish, the primaries and secondaries with whitish; tail-feathers
dusky-brown with lighter edges ; crown grey-green streaked with
dusky ; lores, eyebrow and feathers round eye whitish ; ear-coverts
brown ; cheeks whitish ; below, dull white, the breast tinged with
greenish-yellow and streaked with dusky ; the sides and flanks
grey with dusky streaks ; thighs brown ; axillaries and under wing
and tail-coverts washed with yellow ; under surface of quills dusky
with grey inner margins.

Iris brown ; upper mandible dusky, the lower light brown ; legs
and feet dark brown.

Length 5*00 ; wing 2-65; tail 2-25 ; tarsus 0*65; culmen 0-40.

Distribution. — Common in Cape Colony, particularly in the
western districts, ranging into the Orange Free State and the
Southern Transvaal, where, according to Mr. Ayres, it is common
and breeds at Potchefstroom.

Introduced into and now common at St. Helena.

Habits. — Although not such a favourite cage- bird as the " Cape
Canarie," the " Kleine Seisje " is by no means a despicable songster,
many of its notes being exceedingly true and sweet. In the neigh-
bourhood of Saldanha Bay, where it is, together with the larger
Serinus albigularis, abundant among the bushes that overgrow the
sandhills at the back of the beach, it breeds in September. A nest
found on the 28th of this month, with five fresh eggs, was placed
in the top of a low bush about fifteen inches off the ground. It
was slightly but neatly constructed of small twigs and dry grass-

172 FRINGILLIDiE SERINUS

bents, and was thickly lined with the cottony seeds of a bush that
grew not far off. The eggs are of a faint blue-green ground colour,
sparsely zoned and marked at the large end with small spots of
dark and light reddish-brown. They measure 0-70 x 0-52.

7) 91. Serinus imberbis. Von der Deckens Seed-eater.

Crithagra imberbis, Cab. Joum. f. Orn. 1868, p. 412.

Crithagra chloropsis (nee. Bj:).) Cab. in Von der Dec'ken's Beis. iii.
p. 30, pi. ix (1869) ; Gurney, in Andersson's B. Damara La7id, p. 183
(1872) ; Sharjye, ed. LaT/ard's B. S. Afr. p. 486 (1884).

Serinus imberbis, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xii, p. 355 (1888) ; Shelley,
B. Afr. i, p. 21 (1896).

Description. Adidt male. — Above, greenish-yellow, faintly
streaked with dusky on the back and mantle; rump unstreaked
greenish-yellow ; upper tail-coverts yellow ; lesser wing-coverts
like the back ; remaining coverts and quills blackish edged with
yellow ; tail-feathers dusky-brown edged with yellow ; crown
greenish-yellow with narrow dusky streaks ; eyebrow, eyelids, a
band from the eye across the front ear-coverts and cheeks yellow ;
posterior ear-coverts greenish-yellow ; below, golden-yellow, tinged
with green on the sides and flanks ; axillaries and under tail-coverts
bright yellow.

Iris hazel ; bill dusky brown ; legs and feet dusky brown.

Length 5-00; wing 2-80; tail 1-85; tarsus 0-65 ; culmen 0-45.

Distribution. — Great Namaqua, Damara Land and the Transvaal,
ranging through Nyasaland and German East Africa to Zanzibar
and Central Africa.

92. Serinus rendalli. BendalVs Seed-eater.

Crithagra rendalli, Tristram, Ibis, 1895, p. 129.
Serinus rendalli, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 22 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Forehead and lores yellow ; head
and neck yellow narrowly streaked with browm ; the scapulars, back
and rump brownish-black, the feathers with yellow margins; the
whole lower surface golden -yellow ; wing and tail-feathers dusky
with yellow margins ; under wing-coverts pale yellowish.

Iris hazel ; bill black ; legs and feet dusky.

Adult female. — Above dusky, the feathers margined with white;

7

i-j ^■., .-.^ 9^^. ., / -•. -:A

FEINGILLID^ SEBINUS 173

lores and feathers round the eyes whitish ; below, pale yellow, with
a few narrow streaks of dusky ; under wing-coverts whitish.

Iris hazel; bill, legs and feet dusky.

Length 500 ; wing 2-75 ; tarsus 0-66. {Ihis, 1895, p. 130).

Distribution. — The two type specimens, described above, were
obtained by Dr. Percy Eendall, F.Z.S., at Barberton in the
Transvaal, on February 16, 1894.

93. Serinus icterus. Eastern Yelloio Seed-eater.

Frmgilla ictera, Bonn, et Vieill. Enc. Metli. iii, p. 972 (1823).
Crithagra chrysopyga, Swains. B. W. Afr. ii, p. 206, pi. 17 (1837) ;

Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 219 (1867) ; Gurney, in Andersson's B. Damara

Land, p. 182 (1872).
Serinus icterus, Bp. ConsjJ. i, p. 523 (1850) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xii,

p. 356 (1888) ; Butler, Foreign Finches, p. 34, pi. (1894) ; Shelley,

B. Afr. i, p. 21 (1896).
Crithagra hartlaubi, Bolle, Journ. f. Orfi. 1858, p. 355: Holub vonPelz.

Beitr. Orn. Sildafr. p. 134 (1882).
Crithagra ictera, Sharjje, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. pp. 485, 850 (1884).

Description. Adult male. — Above, greenish streaked with black
merging into unstreaked yellow on the rump ; upper tail-coverts
dusky edged with yellow ; least wing-coverts greenish-yellow ;
remaining coverts and quills blackish edged with yellow; tail-
feathers black edged with yellow and tipped with grey ; crown
like the back ; lores, feathers round eye and ear-coverts black ;
forehead, eyebrow and cheeks yellow ; a malar streak of black ;
below, yellow tinged with greenish on the sides and flanks ; axil-
laries and under wing-coverts ash-grey.

Iris brown ; bill horn-coloured ; legs and feet dusky-brown.

Length 4-40 ; wing 2-75 ; tail 1-75 ; tarsus 0-65 ; culmen 0-40.

Adult female. — Less bright than the male ; above browner ; the
chin with a white spot ,

Young. — Like the female, but the upper parts are browner with
hardly a trace of yellow ; a streak of light brown through the eye ;
the breast is more or less spotted with dusky brown, more so in
young females.

Distributio7i. — Resident in Eastern Cape Colony, Natal, and the
Orange Free State, extending northward through the Transvaal,
Matabili and Mashonalands, and up the East Coast to Mombasa.

-Ji-

174 FEINGILLID^ SERINUS

III West Africa from Daraara Land to Senegambia. Introduced
into Mauritius and Reunion.

Habits. — In both habits and appearance the present species
closely resembles Serinus flaviventris. It is, however, smaller in
size, paler in colour, and has a black streak across the lower face.
In its habits it is lively and excitable, but at the same time, tame
and confiding. In the spring of the year the cock is much given
to chasing the hens, as well as intruding males of his own species,
when not uttering his melodious song, of seven flute-like notes,
from the top of a bush. During the winter months these Seed-
eaters collect in small flocks and frequent open ground and stubble-
fields in search of the small seeds which they habitually eat. They
frequently feed along wdth other Finches and Waxbills. In summer
they vary their diet with small beetles, caterpillars, and other
insects, and I have even seen individual birds taking flies on the
wing. They are fond, also, of sipping the nectar from the blossoms
of certain creepers that are much frequented by Sunbirds. Owing
to its pretty plumage, its gay and lively disposition, and its charm-
ing song, this species is frequently caught and caged, and is even
exported to Europe as a cage-bird.

The nest, a neat and pretty cup-shaped structure, is built in a low
bush, in September or October, of dry stalks of grass and flowers,
lined with finer grass and cottony down. From three to five eggs
are laid, of a pale bluish ground colour, sparingly spotted towards
the larger end with pale reddish-brown.

They measure 0-68 x 0-52.

The female sits for twelve or thirteen days, and the young
remain in the nest for about twenty-four days. They are fed on
insects, and are at first covered with yellowish-white down.

^ 94. Serinus albigularis. Wnite-throated Seed-eater.

Crithagra albigularis, Smith, S. Afr. Quart. Journ. ii, p. 48 (1833) ;

Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 485 (1884).
Crithagra selbyi, Smithy Bep. ExjJ. Centr. Afr. p. 50 (1836) ; Layard,

B. S. Afr. p. 219 (1867).
Serinus albigularis, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xii, p. 360 (1887) ; Shelley, B.

Afr. i, p. 21 (1896).

"Dik-bek Seisje " and "Berg Seisje" (Thick-beak Seed-eater and
Mountain Seed -eater) of Dutch Colonists.

Description. Adult male. — Above, ash-brown streaked with
darker brown merging into greenish-yellow on the rump and upper

FRINGILLID^ SERINUS 175

tail-coverts ; lesser wing-coverts brown ; middle and greater coverts
darker brown edged with pale brown ; quills dusky edged with
whitish ; tail-feathers dark brown tinged with yellow and edged
with grey ; crown like the back ; a slight eyebrow and fore cheeks
white; lores dusky; sides of neck, ear-coverts and hind cheeks
ash-brown ; below, pale ash-brown ; the throat, abdomen, and under
tail-coverts white ; axillaries and under wing-coverts pale ash-
brown, the lower tipped with white.

Iris brown ; bill horn-coloured ; legs and feet brown.

Length 6-30 ; wing 3-05 ; tail 2-35 ; tarsus 0-85 ; culmen 0-55.

Adult female. — Eather smaller and duller in colour.

Young. — Kesembling the adult.

Serinus albigularis.

Distrihution. — Confined to Cape Colony, where it is very gener-
ally distributed, especially in the western half of the colony. Very
common on the coast at Saldanha Bay and on the Berg Eiver.
Earer to the east of Port Elizabeth.

Habits. — This large but soberly coloured Seed-eater is very
common to the north of Cape Town, especially towards Saldanha
Bay, a locality in which Layard noticed its abundance in his time.
Here it inhabits the bush-overgrown sand-dunes close to the beach,
and feeds on the seeds of several of the more common weeds. In
spring the cocks sing loudly and melodiously from the tops of the
bushes, their song being, to my ear, superior to that of the Cape
Canary. About tlie beginning of September they proceed to build
their nests, open cup-shaped structures, in the bushes, frequently
in a '* milk-bush," about four feet above the ground. These
are rather loosely constructed of thin, pliable twigs and dry grass-
stems, and are invariably lined with the white downy blossoms
of a common weed. Towards the end of the month the females

176 FBINGILLID^ SERINUS

lay three or four eggs of a very faint bluish-white, sometimes plain,
more often sparingly marked at the large end with one or two
spots or hair-like streaks of deep purplish-black. They average-
0-80 X 0-60.

Both the male and female sit very closely on their eggs, and
defend their nest valiantly against aggressors. On almost every
occasion on which I have inspected a nest of this bird I have had
my fingers pecked for my pains, and with their powerful bills they
can inflict a severe bite. On one occasion I saw a pair of these
Finches attack a large snake with great courage and success.

The young are fed on insects and macerated seeds from the
crops of the old birds. They remain in the nest for a little more
than a month.

95. Serinus crocopygius. Damara Yelloio-rumped Seed-eater.

Poliospiza crocopygius, Sharpe, Ibis, 1871, p. 101 ; Gurney, in
Andersson's B. Damara La7id, p. 184 (1872) ; Sharjje, ed. Layard's
B. S. Afr. p. 483 (1884).

Serinus crocopygius, SJiarpe, Cat. B. M. xii, p. 360, pi. 8 (1888) ;
Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 22 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above, light brown streaked with
darker brown ; lower back, rump and upper tail-coverts yellow,
the latter streaked with olive ; lesser wing-coverts like the back ;
rest of wing and tail-feather dusky brown edged with paler brown,
the greater coverts tipped with white ; crown like the back ; eye-
brow, line below eye, line across cheeks, spot at base of under
mandible and throat white ; ear-coverfcs pale brown ; breast, sides
and flanks, light brown ; rest of under surface white ; axillaries
and under wing-coverts yellowish-brown.

Iris brown ; bill horn-brown ; legs and feet slate-grey.

Length 6-00 ; wing 340 ; tail 2-30 ; tarsus 0-80; culmen 0*55.

Adult female. — Eesembles the male but is smaller, and has
the under wing-coverts white.

Length 6*00 ; wing 3*20 ; tail 2-30 ; tarsus 0-80 ; culmen 0-55.

Distribution. — Great Namaqua Land, Damara Land and
Benguela.

Habits. — Andersson writes: "This species is sparingly met
with in Damara and Great Namaqua Land ; it is generally seen
about rocks in the immediate neighbourhood of water, to which

FIIINGILLID.?=: SERINUS 177

it resorts in small flocks in the morning and evening to quench its
thirst. Its food consists of seeds and berries."

96. Serinus leucopterus. White-xohi^ed Seed-eater,

Crithagra leucoptera, Sliarjie^ Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist, viii, p. 235 (1871).
Serinus leucopterus, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xii, p. 361, pi. 9 (1888) ; Shelley,
B. Afr. i, p. 22 (1896).

Description [Froyii Cat. Mus. Brit). Adult. — General colour
above uniform brown with a slight olive-yellow tinge, the rump
uniform with the back ; lesser wing-coverts like the back ; median
and greater coverts dark brown, externally edged with the same
colour as the back and tipped with white, forming a double wing-
bar; bastard wing, primary coverts, and quills dark brown edged
with olive ; the inner secondaries whitey-brown at the ends of the
inner web ; upper tail-coverts like the back with small whitish tips ;
tail-feathers dark brown edged with dull olive-yellow ; crown of
head like the back, but broadly centred with dull blackish-brown ;
the forehead tinged with yellow, lores dull ashy ; feathers round
eye, ear-coverts and cheeks dusky brown, with a pale streak across
the lower ear-coverts ; throat white mottled with blackish spots on
the chin and upper throat ; remainder of under surface pale ashy-
brown, lighter than the back and tinged with olive-yellow, with
which some of the feathers are edged ; sides of body and flanks like
the breast ; thighs dark brown ; vent and under tail-coverts whitish,
slightly tinged with yellow ; under wing-coverts and axillaries like
the breast ; quills below dusky, ashy along the inner edge.

Length 6-00 ; wing 2-45 ; tail 2-25 ; tarsus 0*75 ; culmen 0-55.

Distribution. — The type specimen, described above, was for-
warded from South Africa by Mr. E. L. Layard.

Habits . — Unknown.

97. Serinus scotops. SundevalVs Seed-eater.

Crithagra scotops, Sundev. (Efv. K. Vet.-Akad. Fork. Stochh. (1850),
p. 98 ; Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 218 (1867) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. 8.
Afr. pp. 487, 850 (1884).

Serinus scotops, Sliarpe, Cat. B. M. xii, p. 362 (1888) ; Shelley, B.
Afr. i, p. 22 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above, greenish-yellow streaked with
black, the rump brighter and unstreaked ; upper tail-coverts
12 ^

nt

178 FRINGILLID^ SERINUS

greenish-yellow streaked with dusky ; lesser wing-coverts yellowish-
green ; remaining coverts and quills dasky brown edged and tipped
with yellow ; tail-feathers dusky-brown edged with yellow ; crown
greenish-yellow narrowly streaked with black ; forehead and lores
blackish ; eyebrow golden-yellow ; ear-coverts and cheeks greenish-
yellow ; below, chin black ; rest of under surface golden-yellow ;
the lower throat and thighs tinged with greenish, the sides and
flanks streaked with dusky ; axillaries and under wing-coverts
yellow ; under surface of quills dusky.

Iris brown ; bill horn-colour ; legs and feet dusky.

Length 5*00 ; wing 2-55 ; tail 1-95 ; tarsus 0-65 ; culmen 0-45.

Adult female. — Like the male, but the lores, feathers round the
eye and chin are grey ; the lower throat and breast greenish,
streaked, like the sides and flanks, with dusky ; rest of under surface
yellow.

Distribution. — Cape Colony to the east of George, Natal,
Zululand and the Transvaal ; extending northward as far as
Nyasaland, where it has been obtained by Mr. Whyte at Zomba.

f 98. Serinus angolensis. Black-throated Seed-eater. '-^

Fringilla angolensis, G771. Syst. Nat. i, p. 918 (1788) ; Layard's B. S.
Africa, p. 203 (1867).

Linaria atrigularis, Smith, Bej). Exp. Centr. Afr. p. 49 (1836).

Crithagra angolensis, Bp. Consj). i, p. 520 (1850) ; Gurney, in Anders-
son's B. Damara Land, p. 182 (1872) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's
B. S. Afr. pp. 484, 850 (1884).

Serinus angolensis, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xii, p. 367 (1888) ; Shelley,
B. Afr. i, p. 22 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above, pale brown streaked with
dusky, the feathers of mantle with greyish edges ; rump bright
yellow ; upper tail-coverts dark brown with broad margins of pale
brown edged and tipped with white; wing-coverts like the back,
the greater edged with whitish towards their ends ; quills dusky
edged with yellow ; tail-feathers dark brown tipped with white,
which increases towards the outermost, which is one-third white ;
crown like the back ; a narrow eyebrow white ; lores grey ; ear-
coverts brown ; cheeks white, crossed by a dark streak ; chin
white ; throat black ; rest of lower surface dull white, tinged with
grey and narrowly streaked with black on the breast, sides and
flanks ; axillaries yellowish ; under wing-coverts grey.

^

' c\Jl. 1)

FEINGILLID^ ALARIO 179

Iris brown ; bill brownish ; legs and feet flesh-coloured.

Length 4-65 ; wing 2-75 ; tail 1-80 ; tarsus 0*52 ; culmen 0-40.

Adult female. — A little smaller than the male and with less
black on the throat.

Distribution. — Tolerably common on the Orange Kiver according
to Dr. Bradshaw, thence to the Zambesi Kiver, ranging as far north
as Masai Land in East Africa. On the west coast from Damara
Land to the Congo River.

Genus V. ALARIO.

Type.

Alario, Bp. Conspect. i, p. 519 (1850) A. alario.

Bill rather short and stout, not half the length of head, both
culmen and gonys shghtly curved, and both mandibles about
equally deep. Wings short, falling short of the end of tail by more
than the length of the tarsus. Plumage of back, upper wing and
tail-coverts and tail, chestnut-red in the male, browner and duller
in the female.

This genus contains a single species the range of which is
confined to South Africa.

Alario alario.

l^-^

99. Alario alario. Mountain Canary.

Fringilla alario, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p, 319 (1766).

Alario alario, Bp. Consp. i, p. 519 (1850) ; Sharpe^ ed. Layard's B. 8.
Afr. p. 477 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xii, p. 346 (1887) ; Butler, Foreign
Finches, p. 41, pi. S' and $ (1894) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 21 (1896).

Amadina alario, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 200 (1867).

Alario aurantia, Gurney, in -Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 175
(1872).

" Berg-Canarie " and " Namaqua Canarie" of the Dutch.

Descriptio7i, Adult 7nale. — Above, back and rump, also the
wing-coverts, chestnut-red; rest of wing black, the secondaries
edged with chestnut ; upper tail-coverts and tail-feathers chestnut ;
sides of neck white ; head throat and centre of breast black ; rest

180 FEINGILLID^ ALABIO

of under surface white tinged with buff ; axillaries and under wing-
coverts chestnut ; edge of wing black ; under surface of quills black.

Iris brown ; bill grey-brown, the upper mandible darker ; legs
and feet slate-grey.

Length 4-60 ; wing 2-50 ; tail 1-85 ; tarsus 0-55 ; culmen 0*35.

Adult female. — Above, chestnut-brown streaked with dusky ;
rump and upper tail-coverts paler chestaut, lesser and middle wing-
coverts pale chestnut ; rest of wing dusky-brown, the inner
secondaries edged with rufous ; tail-feathers chestnut with a
central streak of black towards their ends, most marked on the
central feathers ; crown grey streaked with dusky ; lores, eyebrow
and spot below eye white ; sides of face and ear-coverts grey, a
white spot in the centre of the ear-coverts ; below white, tinged
with brown on the breast, sides, flanks, thighs and under tail-
coverts ; axillaries and under wing-coverts pale rufous ; edge of
wing black ; under surface of quills dusky.

Length 4'60 ; wing 2-60 ; tail 1-95.

Young. — Eesemble the female, but are somewhat more tawny
in colour, the upper surface streaked, the throat, breast and sides
spotted with dusky.

Distribution. — Cape Colony and Great Namaqua Land ; rather
local in its distribution, but found in small flocks near Cape Town,
Malmesbury, Knysna, Port Elizabeth, and elsewhere in the Colony
being perhaps most abundant in the Karroo. In Great Namaqua
Land Andersson met with this bird in small flocks.

Habits. — These pretty little Finches are of gentle and confiding
habits and when feeding allow a very close approach without
showing any symptoms of alarm. They are fond of perching on
low bushes, but obtain the greater part of their food, consisting of
grass and other small seeds, from the ground, where they ofben
intermingle with the flocks of Waxbills and other small Weaver
Finches. The males frequently utter their low but sweet song
from the top of a bush, chiefly in the spring, but according to
Dr. Euss it is, in caged birds, continued the whole year. He
describes it as being soft, flute-like but low-pitched. In Great
Namaqua Land Andersson found the Mountain Canary always in
the neighbourhood of water. Eickard remarks: "I fancy this is
the species much prized by the lads in Port Elizabeth, who called
it the ' Namaqua ; ' it only appears at long intervals, but in con-
siderable numbers when it does occur ; it sings well and becomes
very tame."

FRINGILLID^ CHRYSOMITRIS ] 81

In confinement this species breeds both with the Cape and the
Common Canary. In a wild state it builds a small and neatly con-
structed cup-shaped nest in a low bush, of dry grass and small
stalks, lined with finer grass and the down of plants. The eggs,
three to five in number, are pale bluish-green, spotted at the large
end with several shades of reddish-brown. They average 0-68 x 0-50.
The young are hatched in eleven days, and remain in the nest for
about three weeks. They are fed on partly digested food from the
crops of the old birds for some time after they leave the nest. Two
broods are reared in the season, the first laying being in November,
the second in January.

Genus VI. CHRYSOMITRIS.

Type.
Chrysomitris, Boie, Isis, 1828, p. 322 C. spinus.

Bill rather attenuated, tapering to an acute point, the culmen
and sides nearly straight. Nostrils concealed by short stiff feathers
directed forwards. Wings rather long and pointed, the second
quill being shghtly the longest. Tail rather short and slightly
forked. Tarsus slender ; claws curved and acute. Plumage soft,
the predominant tints chocolate-brown above, olive-yellow below;
the female of duller hue and more spotted on the lower surface.

Chrysomitris totta.

This genus contains the Siskins, some twenty-seven species in all.
They range over Europe, Asia, North and South America, and East
and South Africa ; three species are found in North-east and East
Africa, one only in South Africa. They are all birds of small size,
with a pretty and varied but not loud song ; they feed on small
seeds and insects, the young on insects exclusively. They build
small and neatly constructed open nests and lay four or five white
or bluish-white eggs, those of the majority of the species being
more or less spotted with brown.

18^ FEINGILLID^ CHRYSOMITRlS

I 100. Chrysomitris totta. ^oiith Aftican Siskin.

Loxia totta, SjJarrm, Mas. Carls, i, pi. 18 (1786).
Friiigilla totta, Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 202 (1867).
Chrysomitris totta, Salvin. Cat. StricM. Coll. p. 214 (1882) ; Sluirj^e,

Cat. B. M. xii, p. 231 (1888) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 19 (1896).
Serinus tottus, Sharjje, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 488 (1884).

"Pietje Canarie " of the Dutch ; " Brown Canary " of the Enghsh.

Description. Adult male. — Above, chocolate-brown, the back
slightly mottled with darker brown ; rump olive-yellow ; upper
tail-coverts brown edged with dull white ; tail-feathers black tipped
with white ; wing-coverts uniform chocolate-brown : quills black
externally, brown internally, tipped with white and with a sub-
terminal mark of black ; crown olive-yellow, the feathers with dusky
centres ; a slight eyebrow olive-yellow ; lores grey ; sides of face
and ear-coverts grey tinged with olive ; cheeks olive-yellow streaked
with brown ; below olive-yellow tinged with brown on the sides,
flanks and thighs, the throat with a few dusky spots, sometimes
absent ; axillaries and under wing-coverts greyish-yellow.

Iris brown ; bill pale brown ; legs and feet brown.

Length 500 ; wing 2-80; tail 2-00 ; tarsus 0-60 ; culmen 0-40.

Adult female. — Generally of a browner tone, with less yellow in
the plumage ; crown hke the back ; throat and upper breast grey-
brown tinged with yellow and spotted with dusky.

Young. — Eesemble the female.

Distribution. — Confined to Cape Colony and most abundant in
the south-western districts, especially near Ceres, Tulbagh, Swel-
lendam and Knysna ; very common at East London according to
Mr. Eickard.

Habits. — Although by Dr. Sharpe separated from the Canaries
(Serimis), and placed with the Siskins, (Chrysomitris), this little
bird resembles the former in its habits, and when kept in confine-
ment readily interbreeds with the Cape Canary (S. canicollis.) The
song, although of a certain merit, does not equal that of the Cape
Canary in tone or quality.

It is of somewhat local distribution, abundant in certain locali-
ties and quite absent from others apparently equally well adapted
to its habits. It may be often met with on bush-covered hillsides
and appears to prefer hilly to more level ground. It feeds on small
seeds, buds of trees and insects. The nest is placed in a bush from
two to four feet above the ground and is built of grass-stems, small

t'ElNGILLlDJi EMBEEI^A 183

rootlets and pliant twigs, lined with down and occasionally a few
hairs. The eggs are four or five in number, pale bluish-green
sparingly spotted and sometimes zoned with reddish-brown of two
shades. They average 072 x 0-54.

Subfamily II. EMBEKIZIN^.

In the Buntings the bill is acutely conical, with the edges of the
upper mandible sinuated, a bony knob on the palate which fits into
a concavity of the lower mandible ; the edges of the two mandibles
not in contact throughout, a gap being left about midway between
the gape and the tip of the bill ; the upper mandible is also
generally smaller and narrower than the lower ; the culmen is
nearly straight.

The Ember izince moult in autumn and become brighter in spring
owing to the worn tips of the feathers falling off. The males are
usually brighter than the females. The young resemble the latter
very closely until after their first moult, when the males gradually
assume their adult plumage. Like the Fringillince, they feed on
seeds and insects.

The Buntings range over Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and
South America, but are not found in Australasia. Fourteen species
are distributed over the Ethiopian Eegion and five occur in South
Africa.

Key to the Genera.

a. Three or four outer tail-feathers with broad tips

or patches of white Emberiza, p. 183.

b. Outer tail-feathers without white tips or markings

excepting the outer edge of the outermost Frinfjillaria, p. 187.

Genus I. EMBERIZA.

Type.

Emberiza, Brisson, Orn. iii, p. 257 (1760) E. citrinella.

Bill hard, conical and short ; the upper mandible not wider than
the lower, the edges of both inflected, and those of the latter
sinuated ; the palate with a projecting bony knob. Nostrils oval,
basal and situated near the culmen, partly hidden by small feathers.
Gape angular. Wings moderate ; the first primary attenuated and

-7

184 FRINGILLID^ EMBERIZA

very small, the second, third, and fourth nearly equal. Tail rather
long and slightly forked. Tarsus scutellated anteriorly, each side
covered by an undivided plate which forms a sharp ridge behind,
about as long as the middle toe ; claws considerably curved, that of
the hind toe moderately long. Plumage very variable, sometimes
rather gaudy. The male generally considerably brighter than the
female. One complete moult in the year, in autumn ; some of the
species with a partial spring moult as well, but all lose the tips of
the worn feathers in spring, and with this change their colour to a
certain extent. About thirty-six species of typical Buntings are
known, distributed over Europe, Asia, and Africa. Two species
only occur in South Africa, but at least eight others are found in
Africa to the north of the Zambesi Eiver. Buntings usually
frequent fairly open country, some, however, are confined to
marshy spots, others to rocky ground and mountain sides. They
feed on the ground as a rule, on seeds and insects. The majority
have peculiarly monotonous, draw^ling notes, which they utter from
some elevated station, such as the top of a bush or rock. Their
nests are built on the ground, in bushes, or among reeds. Their
eggs are usually to be recognised by the peculiar zig-zag scrawls
with which they are covered.

Key to the Si^ecies.

a. Crown black, with a central streak of white E. Jlaviventris, p. 184.

b. Crown rufous-brown streaked with black

and centred with a white streak E. major orientalis, p. 186.

n 1 1^^- Emberiza flaYiventris. Golden-breasted Bunting.

Passerina flaviventris, Vieill. Enc. Meth. ii, p. 929 (1823).

Fringillaria flaviventris, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 206 (1867) ; Giirney in

Andersson's B. Dmnara La7id, p. 188 (1872) ; Shar2)e, ed. Layard's

B. S. Afr. pp. 491, 851 (1884).
Emberiza flaviventris, SJiarpe, Cat. B. M. xii, p. 499 (1888) ; Shelley,

B. Afr. i, p. 18 (1896).

" Strep-kopje " (Stripe-head) of the Dutch.

Description. Adult male in summer.— Ahove, crown black with
a white streak down the centre ; lores and eyebrow white ; a streak
through the eye and upper ear-coverts black ; a broad streak below
the eye and across lower ear-coverts white ; cheeks black ; nape

FEINGILLID^ EMBEKIZA 185

cbes':nut tinged with grey ; back and scapulars chestnut-red ; lower
back, rump and upper tail-coverts ash-grey, the latter with white
edges ; lesser wing-coverts ash-grey, the middle white with black
bases, the greater black with white tips are grey edges ; quills black
edged with white, the inner secondaries with chestnut ; tail-feathers
black with grey margins, the outer four tipped with white, the outer
web of the outermost white with a black spot ; a patch on sides of
neck and chin white ; rest of under surface yellow, the chest tinged
with orange, the sides and thighs grey, the flanks and under tail
and wing-coverts, as well as the axillaries and inner margin of quills,
white.

Iris brown : upper mandible black, the lower brown ; feet dusky
flesh-colour.

Emberiza flaviventris.

Length 6-50 ; wing 3-20 ; tail 2-90 ; tarsus 0-70 ; culmen 0-50.

Adult male in winter. — The feathers of the back edged with
fulvous, the streaks on the head and face duller ; the sides of body
browner than in summer.

Adult female.— khoye, a deeper chestnut than the male, the
upper back and scapulars streaked with black.

Young, — Like the female, but with broader streaks above ; below
duller in colour ; the light face-streaks buff instead of white.

Distribution. — From Eastern Cape Colony through Natal, Zulu-
land and the Orange Free State into the Transvaal, thence westward
to Damara Land and Benguela, northward to Nyasaland and
German East Africa. In North-east Africa and Abyssinia a race
which is smaller, with slightly different markings, occurs, whilst a
larger form inhabits Uganda and the Victoria Nyanza Country.

Habits. — These handsomely marked httle Buntings are usually
met with during autumn and winter in small flocks of ten or a
dozen. They are extremely tame and fearless in their habits, like
all the South African Buntings I have met with, feed much on the
ground in open bush country, but are sometimes found in thickly

77

186 FRINGILLID^ EMBEKIZA

wooded localities, and if disturbed only fly for a few yards before
settling again on the ground. Only occasionally do they perch on
low bushes or trees, much oftener on stones or rocks. They feed
largely upon insects, especially upon small beetles, less frequently
upon seeds. In spring the brilliant cocks sing their simple Bunting-
like notes from the summit of low bushes or stones, a monotonous
and oft-repeated " zizi-zizi-zee," with the stress on the last syllable.
About the middle of October the female proceeds to build her nest
of dry grass-stalks, lined with finer grass and hair, in a low bush at
the foot of a rock, or among the roots of herbage on a ledge, and
towards the beginning of November lays four or five eggs.

These are smaller than those of the Cape Bunting {Fringlllaria
capensis), and differ completely in colour. They are white, thickly
marked all over with scrawls and hair - like zig-zag lines of very
dark purplish-brown or black. They measure 075 x 0*58.

(J 102. Emberiza major orientalis. Shelley's Bunting.

Frmgillaria orientalis, Shelley, Proe. Zool. Soc. 1882, p. 308.
Emberiza orientalis, Sharjje, Cat. B. M. xii, p. 502 (1888) ; Shelley, B.
Afr. i, p. 18 (1896).

Descriytion. Adult male. — Above, the feathers rufous-brown
centred with black ; the feathers of the back margined with pale
brown ; rump and upper tail-coverts dark grey ; lesser wing- coverts
black with grey margins ; middle coverts white ; greater coverts
black tipped with white and edged with brown ; quills dusky edged
with whitish ; tail-feathers brown, the outer three with a white
patch on the inner web increasing in size towards the outermost ;
crown rufous-brown streaked with black, a white streak down the
centre ; eyebrow, hind ear- coverts, and streak behind them white ;
lores, feathers about eye, anterior ear-coverts, and cheeks black ;
chin and line below cheeks white ; sides of neck and breast, also the
. flanks, grey ; throat and centre of body yellow ; thighs, vent and
under tail and wing- coverts white.

Iris brown ; upper mandible dusky ; the lower reddish ; legs
and feet dusky flesh-colour.

Length 5-80 ; wing 3-20 ; tail 3*00 ; tarsus 0-80 ; culmen 0-55.

Distribution. — Momboio in East Africa. Nyasaland, the Upper
Congo districts and Mashonaland.

Habits. — This race only differs from Emberiza major (Cabanis),
of Angola, in being smaller and in having the eyebrow and central
crown-streak broader and more distinct. The bill and tarsus are
a trifle longer also.

FRINGILLID^ PRINGILLARIA 187

Genus II. FRINGILLARIA.

Type.
Fringillaria, Sioains. Class. B. ii, p. 289 (1837) F. capensis.

Bill with the upper mandible entire, elongated and pointed.
Wings short ; the primary quills not much longer than the tertials.
Tail moderate, either quite even or very slightly rounded. Lateral
toes small, equal. All the claws small and short. Plumage rather
variable, but never any white pattern on the tail, according to Dr.
Sharpe.

Seven species belonging to this genus are known, distributed
over Africa, Arabia and Palestine, Baluchistan and Northern India
as well as Japan.

In their general habits and food, as well as in their song, the
FrijigillaricB resemble the Emherizce ; but their eggs are very
different, being spotted and blotched with brown, like those of some
Finches and Larks, and being without the peculiar zig-zag mark-
ings so characteristic of the eggs of the majority of the true Bunt-
ings (Emberizce). Three species of the genus Fringillaria are found
in South Africa ; a fourth, F. septemstriata, occurs in North-east
Africa, and a fifth, F. insularis, on the island of Socotra.

Key to the Species.

a. Crown grey-brown with a central streak of grey ;

throat white ; lesser and middle wing-coverts

chestnut-red '. F. capetuis, p. 187.

b. Crown black with a central streak of white ;

throat black ^ ; throat ashy ? ; lesser wing-
coverts reddish-brown mottled with black,
middle and greater coverts black F. tahajnsi, p. 189.

c. Crown brown, each feather streaked black ; throat

whitish ; lesser and middle wing-coverts rufous-
brown centred with black F. impctuani, p. 190.

'^"^y 103. Fringillaria capensis. Cape Bunting.

Emberiza capensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 310 (1766).

Fringillaria vittata. Swains. An. in Menag. p. 315 (1837) ; id. Classif.
B. ii, p. 290 (1837) ; Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 207 (1867).

Fringillaria capensis, Swains. Classif. B. ii, p. 290 (1837) ; Layard,
B. S. Afr. p. 206 (1867) : Holuh and Pelzeln, Beitr. Orn. Siidafr.
p. 135 (1882) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. pp. 489, 851 (1884) ;
id. Cat. B. M. xii, p. 565 (1888) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 18 (1896).

*' Streepkopje " and " Streepkop Mossie " (Stripe-head and Stripe-
headed Sparrow), of the Dutch Colonists.

V

188 FBINGILLID^ FRINGILLARIA

Description. Adult 7nale. — Above, brown streaked with black, the
rump and upper tail-coverts unstreaked brown ; least wing-coverts
chestnut-red ; middle coverts chestnut streaked with black ; greater
coverts black edged with chestnut ; primary coverts and quills
black, the primaries edged with whitish, the secondaries with chest-
nut ; tail-feathers black edged with grey, the outermost with dull
white externally ; crown grey-brown with a central streak of grey ;
a long and distinct eyebrow white ; below this a black streak
followed by a white streak and this by another black streak across
the cheek which joins the black eye-streak behind the ear-coverts ;
below white, tinged with grey on the lower throat, breast and sides ;
the flanks streaked with dusky ; thighs brown ; axillaries and
under wing-coverts yellowish ; under surface of quills dusky.

Fringillaria ca;pensis.

Iris brown ; upper mandible dusky -brown, the lower paler ; legs
and feet brown.

Length 6*00 ; wing 340 ; tail 2-50 ; tarsus 0-80 ; culmen 0-60.

Adult female. — Eesembles the male, but the white face-streaks
are less conspicuous.

Young. — Are duller in colour generally ; the breast and flanks
are streaked with dusky.

Distribution. — Cape Colony : common nearly everywhere in
open stony localities, from the sea level up to 5,000 feet. The
higher part of Natal, but not on the coast ; the Orange Free State ;
West Griqualand ; the Southern Transvaal and Great Namaqua
Land. Not uncommon near Newcastle, Natal, in July and October
(Butler, Feilden and Eeid) : "on rocky ranges near Potchefstroom '''
(Ayres).

Habits. — The Cape Bunting is almost invariably met with in pairs
on broken rocky ground, and in Western Cape Colony is a com-
mon species from the sea level to about 5,000 feet in the mountains.

FEINGILLID^ FEINGILLARIA 189

Even on the barren sandy coast of Little Namaqua Land it is to be
found wherever there is the sHghtest outcrop of rock. The " Streep-
Kopje" is an extremely tame little bird and allows a very close
approach as it sits, piping its simple song of "zizi-zizi-zi " and
opening and shutting its wings, on the top of a rock. It feeds on
insects, small beetles, grasshoppers and spiders, as well as on the
seeds of various grasses and weeds. The nest, rather deeply cup-
shaped, is flimsily constructed of dry grass and rootlets, scantily
lined with hair, and is usually placed in a low bush close to the
ground or by the side of a rock. The three or four eggs, laid in
September or October in the Colony, are pale greenish-white,
thickly spotted and blotched with reddish-brown and yellow,
frequently in a cap over the larger end. They average 0'80 x 0*62.

104. Fringillaria tahapisi. Bock Bimting.

Emberiza tahapisi, Smith, Bcp. Ex]). Centr. Afr. App. p. 48 (1836).

Fringillaria tahapisi, Gray, Gen. B. ii, p. 378 (1844) ; Layard, B. S.
Afr. p. 207 (1867) ; Sharpie, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. pp. 490, 851
(1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xii, p. 558 (1888) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 18
(1896).

Description. Adult male in summer. — Above, reddish-brown
mottled with black ; lesser wing-coverts like the back ; middle and
greater coverts black edged with reddish-buff ; primary coverts and
quills dusky-brown edged with rufous ; tail-feathers dusky-brown
edged with pale reddish-brown ; crown black with a white streak
down the centre ; eyebrow white ; below this a black followed by a
white streak ; cheeks black ; malar streak white ; throat black ;
rest of under surface pale reddish-brown ; axillaries and under
wing-coverts reddish-brown; under surface of quills dusky, their
inner margins reddish-brown.

Iris brown ; upper mandible brown, the lower paler ; feet
brown.

Length 5-25 ; wing 3*05 ; tail 2-35 ; tarsus 0*75 ; culmen 0-35.

Adult male in winter. — The plumage is less bright and the face-
stripes less distinct ; the black feathers of the throat are edged with
white.

Adult female. — The crown is like the back; the head and face
markings are less distinct than in the male ; the feathers of the
throat have black bases and grey tips.

190 FRINGILLID^ FRINGILLARIA

Length 5-00 ; witig 2-95 ; tail 2-35.

Distribution. — Eastern Cape Colony, Natal, Zululand and the
Orange Free State ; throughout the greater part of the Transvaal,
Ehodesia and Bechuanaland, ranging northward into Nyasaland
and the Victoria Nyanza districts, and extending into Equatorial
Africa. On the West coast it has been obtained in Benguela and
Gaboon.

Habits. — I have generally met with this Bunting on broken hill-
sides strewn with rocks and partly overgrown with low bushes.
Like F. capensis, it is of tame and familiar habits and is fond of
uttering its broken song from the summit of a stone or low bush
while at intervals it opens and shuts its wings. Its notes resemble
those of the Cape Bunting to a certain degree, but are at the same
time easily distinguished by the ear although the difference is not
readily pointed out in words. It feeds on small seeds and various
insects.

A nest taken in Upper Natal in November was built a few inches
off the ground, in a low bush sheltered on one side by a rock. The
three eggs resemble those of F. capensis in colour but are a trifle
smaller than the average of the latter.

^^ ^ 105. Fringillaria impetuani. Lark Bunting.

. Emberiza impetuani, Smith, Bejp. Exj). Centr. Afr. App. p. 48 (1836).
Fringillaria impetuani, Gray, Gen. B. ii, p. 378 (1844) ; Layard, B. S.
Afr. p. 206 (1867) ; Gurney in Andersson' s B. Damara Land p. 189
(1872) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 489, 851 (1884) ; id.
Cat. B. M. xii, p. 563 (1888) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 18 (1896).

Description. Adiilt male. — Above, brown streaked with black ;
the mantle reddish-brown ; lesser and middle wing-coverts rufous-
brown ; greater coverts black edged with rufous ; primary coverts
and quills blackish edged with pale rufous ; the secondaries exter-
nally rufous ; tail-feathers blackish edged with brown, the outer-
most externally with white ; crown like the back ; lores, eyebrow
and eyelid brownish-white ; ear-coverts rufous ; sides of neck brown
streaked with black ; below whitish, the breast and sides tinged
with rufous, the flanks streaked with brown ; axillaries and under
wing-coverts reddish-brown; under surface of quills dusky with
rufous inner margins.

Iris dark brown ; upper mandible dusky, the lower horn-colour ;
legs and feet dusky flesh- colour.

ALAUDID^ 191

Length 5-45; wing 300; tail 2 25 ; tarsus 0-70; culmen 0-40.
Adult female. — Similar to the male in colour but slightly smaller.
The summer and winter plumages are nearly alike, in the former
the birds are somewhat browner, in the latter greyer.
Young. — Eesemble the female very closely in colour.
Distribution, — Somewhat locally distributed in Cape Colony but
generally common where found, as in the Karroo and on the Orange
Eiver. It is more abundant towards the north and north-east
districts of the Colony. To the north it ranges across the Orange
Eiver into Bechuana, Great Namaqua and Damara Lands ; to the
east into the Orange Free State, Natal and the Transvaal.

Habits.— Mr. Layard describes this species as, "Common about
Nel's Poort, flying in small flocks and feeding on small grass seeds
and insects. It has a short lively song. Its nest is cup-shaped,
constructed in a low bush. Eggs white spotted in a ring with
obscure ill-defined cloudy blotches and pin-point dots of purplish
brown. Axis?'"; diameter 5|'"."

The eggs described by Mr. Layard as of this bird appear to be
those of some other species, as a clutch from a nest in the Karroo
on which I snared the hen do not at all resemble his description
either as regards size or colour. They are pale bluish-white rather
heavily clouded and spotted with brownish-yellow and red and
measure 0*72 x 0-60. The cup-shaped nest was built of dry grass
in a hollow at the foot of a bush. The resemblance of this Bunting
to a Lark is not only in colour, it extends to some of its habits, for
it runs and crouches on the ground just like one of the latter birds.

Andersson writes : " This species is common in Damara and
Great Namaqua liand ; but as it frequently resorts to the ground in
search of seeds and insects, it often thus escapes observation ; it is
gregarious, and is partial to broken ground or its immediate vicinity,
and also to the neighbourhood of water, which it appears to require
pretty constantly."

Family YJ. ALAUDID^.

Bill extremely variable, slender and warbler-like in Lullula ;
long, slender and curved in Certhilauda ; short, deep and finch-like
in PyrrJmkmda ; extraordinarily stout in Bha7n2Jhocorys, with many
intermediate forms. Nostrils open, as in Mirafra, or concealed
by a tuft of bristly feathers directed forwards, as in Calendula.

192 ALAUDIDJE

Wing with the outer primary fairly well developed, as in Mirafra,
or quite abortive, as in Teplirocorys ; the secondaries sometimes
short, in some species reaching the wing-tip. Tarsi rounded
behind and scutellated both anteriorly and posteriorly, the plates
nearly corresponding in number. Hind claw very variable, in
some species long and nearly straight, in others short and curved.
Plumage never brilliant, sometimes chiefly black, but usually of
some shade of brown, earth-brown, reddish-brown, or sandy-brown,
more or less streaked with darker brown, and showing a tendency
to vary in shade with the colour of the soil in localities in which
the individual is resident. Crown crested, semi-crested, or showing
a tendency towards cresting in elongated semi-erectile plumes.
Sexes alike in plumage. Nestlings more spotted. One complete
moult in the year, in autumn, but the margins of the feathers are
usually shed in spring, giving rise to a considerable change in
colour.

The Larks are sharply differentiated from all other South
African Passerine Birds, excepting Nilaus, by the rounding and
scutellation of the posterior aspect of the tarsus. Were it not
for this distinguishing feature some Larks could scarcely, so far
as plumage goes, be distinguished from some Pipits {Anthince),
birds of very similar habits as well as of appearance.

In the Catalogue of Birds in the British Museum, Dr. Sharpe
recognises seventy-four species and forty-two subspecies of Larks.
A single species of Mirafra occurs in Australia and several species
of Otocorys in America ; the remaining species and subspecies are
distributed over Europe, Asia and Africa, no less than twenty-nine
being found in South Africa, the majority of which are peculiar to
that sub-region.

Dr. Bowdler Sharpe has made a careful study of the South
African Larks (P. Z. S., 1874, p. 614, pis. Ixxv, Ixxvi, and Cat.
B. M., vol. xiii), and in the following key to the genera I follow
his arrangement, but in reversed order.

Key to the Genera,

a. Bill rather short and stout, the culmen shorter
than the middle toe and claw.
a\ Without elongated feathers on the sides of
head.
a^. First primary well developed, as long as
the inner toe and claw.

ALAUDID53 PYREHULAUDA 193

a^. Nostrils concealed by a tuft of plumes.
a^. Without a crest.

w'. Hind-claw curved and short, about

equal to hind-toe Pyrrhulauda, p. 193.

¥. Hind-claw curved, shorter than hind-
toe ; plumage above uniform Ammomanes, p. 197.

c^. Hind-claw long and pointed, as long

as hind-toe ; plumage above mottled Calendula, p. 201.

b\ With a crest GaZeW^a, p. 203.

b^. Nostrils open and exposed Mirafra, p. 204.

h^. First primary rudimentary.

c^ Bill at nostrils higher than broad . Spizocorys, p. 219.

d^. Bill at nostrils as high as broad Tephrocorys, p. 221.

¥. With elongated feathers springing from sides

of head Otocorys, p. 225.

b. Bill elongated and curved, the culmen equal to
or exceeding the middle toe and claw in
length,
c^ Hind-claw much curved, shorter than its toe Heterocorys, p. 226.
d\ Hind-claw slightly curved, about equal to its

toe - AlcBmo7i, p. 228.

e\ Hind-toe long and straight Certhilauda, p. 232.

Genus I. PYRRHULAUDA.

Ty2ye.
Pyrrhulauda, Smith, III. Zool. S. Afr. pi. vi. (1839) ...P. australis.

Bill short, higher than broad at nostrils, the culmen arched, the
sides much compressed, the tip entire, the lateral margins sinuated.
Nostrils basal and concealed by the frontal plumes. Wings long,
the first quill spurious, the second shorter than the third or fourth,
which are nearly equal and longest. Tail moderate and slightly
emarginated. Tarsi moderate, louger than the middle toe, and
slender. Toes very small, the lateral toes equal and strongly
scutellated above ; the claws short, slightly curved ; the hind
claw curved and short, about equal to the hind toe in length. The
sexes differ in plumage, the males having the under surface black,
the females buff.

The Genus Pyrrhulauda contains six species and subspecies, of
which four are confined to Africa, one is found in North-East Africa,
Arabia and India, while the sixth is confined to India and Ceylon.
Larks of this genus are usually found feeding on the ground
in flocks. If disturbed they fly off together. They feed on seeds
and insects, and build in some slight hollow of the ground under
18

194 ALAUDID^ PYRBHULA.UDA

shelter of a low bush or grass tuft. Their eggs, two to four in
number, are white, much spotted and freckled with pale brown ;
their note a shrill but not loud chirp.

Key to the Species.

a. Ear-coverts black P. a zts^raZts, p. 194

h. Ear-coverts white.

«,'. Upper surface ash-grey P. ver tic alls, -^.19^

b\ Upper surface chestnut P. smithi, p. 196

Pyrrhulauda australis.

yc/W 106. Pyrrhulauda australis. Dark-naped Lark.

Megalotis australis, Smith, Bep. Ex20. Centr. Afr. 1836, p. 49.

Pyrrhulauda australis. Smith, III. Zool. S. Afr. pi. 24 (1839) ; Layard,
B. S. Afr. p. 210 (1867) ; Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara Land,
p. 191 (1872); Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. p. 493 (1884) ; id. Cat.
B. M. xiii, p. 651 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 17 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above, reddish-brown, the bases of
the feathers black ; wing-coverts and quills black edged with reddish-
brown ; upper tail-coverts and tail-feathers, (excepting the two
central which are brown), black ; entire head and under surface
black.

Iris hazel ; bill horn-brown ; legs and feet flesh-coloured.

Length 4-80 ; wing 3-10 ; tail 1-70 ; tarsus 0*60; culmen 0-40.

Adult female. — Above dusky brown, the feathers of the head and
neck edged with buff ; upper tail-coverts buff streaked with black ;

ALAUDID^ PYRRHULAUDA 195

wings and tail black ; centre of breast and abdomen black ; rest of
under surface buff, the sides streaked with black.

Length 4-50 ; wing 3-00 ; tail 1-70.

DistrihiLtion. — Northern and Eastern Cape Colony ; common
in the valley of the Orange River and near Colesberg, Beaufort West
and King William's Town. Natal and the Orange Free State,
ranging into the Transvaal and across Bechuanaland to Damara
Land.

Habits. — Similar to those of P. verticalis. Mr. T. Ayres met
with this species, when breeding, in the Transvaal. He writes as
follows : "I found two nests of this bird, one in March the other in
April; each nest contained only two eggs which, in one instance,
were somewhat incubated. One of these nests I found at Mamusa,
on the Hartz River, the other near Bloemhoff, on a tributary of the
Vaal River. The nest of this species is placed on the ground under
shelter of a clump of weed or grass. It is roughly constructed of
coarse grass, slightly lined with fine roots ; both the nests which I
found were situated within twenty yards of water. The egg is
white, much spotted with light sepia-brown."

107. Pyrrhulauda verticalis. Grey-backed Lark.

Megalotis verticalis, Smith, Bep. Exp. Centr. Afr. p. 48 (1836).
Pyrrhulauda verticalis, Smith, III. Zool., S. Afr. Aves, pi. 25 (1839) ;

Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 210 (1867) ; Gurney, in Andersson's B.

Damara Land, ip. 190 (1872); Sharpe, ed. Layard's.B. S. Afr.

p. 492 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 656 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i,

p. 17 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above, ashy-grey mottled with brown ;
crown black ; lores and anterior half of cheeks, throat and under
surface blackish-brown ; centre of occiput, ear-coverts and nape of
neck white ; behind the white nape a black collar which joins the
black of the sides of neck to the black under surface of body ; wing-
coverts brown edged with grey ; quills dark brown edged with grey ;
two centre tail-feathers pale brown edged with white ; rest of tail-
feathers dark brown edged with grey, the outermost feather white
with a patch of brown at the base of the inner web.

Iris dark brown ; bill horn-coloured ; legs and feet dark flesh-
colour.

Length 4*90 ; wing 3-15; tail 1-90; tarsus 0'75; culmen 0*50.

,1 ^ V r

> -7 >^

196 ALAUDID^ PYRRHULAUDA

Adult female. — Lores and eyebrow huffish ; throat white ; under
surface white tinged with rufous, otherwise hke the male.

Distribution. — Northern Cape Colony, Griqualand West, and
the Transvaal, extending to Great Namaqua and Damara Land and
thence to the Congo Eiver.

Habits. — In Northern Cape Colony these small Larks congregate
in considerable flocks during autumn and winter, and usually keep
to the open veldt, where they run about on the ground in search of
fallen grass-seeds and small insects. If disturbed they fly for a
short distance, with undulating flight, and alight again directly
on the ground at no great distance. While running about they
frequently utter a shrill, but not very loud, chirp. About the
middle of August the flocks break up and the birds separate in
pairs, and about a month later commence to build their nests.
Some slight hollow is chosen by the side of a tuft of grass ; this is
lined with fine dry grass, to which a few horse-hairs are occasionally
added, and in this slight nest two or three eggs are laid. These
are of a pale cream-colour or dull white, somewhat thickly spotted
all over with two shades of pale umber brown. They average
0'80 X 0-65.

^Lf 3 108. Pyrrhulauda smithi. Smith's LarJc.

Pyrrhulauda leucotis (nee. Stanley) ; Smith III. Zool. S. Afr,, Birds.

pi 26 (1839) ; Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 210 (1867).
Pyrrhulauda smithii, Ayres, Ibis, 1871, p. 258 ; Gurney in Andersson's

B. Damara Land, p. 189 (1872) ; Shaiye. ed. Layard's B. S. Afr.

pp. 493, 851 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 658 (1890).
Pyrrhulauda smithi, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 17 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above, deep chestnut, the feathers
of lower back and scapulars edged with white ; rump and upper
tail-coverts grey ; least wing-coverts whitish ; median and greater
coverts chestnut edged with buff, the median coverts black at the
base ; primary coverts and quills black edged with rufous ; tail
black, the outer feather white on the outer web, the rest margined
with rufous ; crown and nape black, followed by a white and this
by a black collar ; lores, feathers round eye, and fore cheeks black ;
ear-coverts, sides of face and hind cheeks white ; a line of black
from the crown to the throat ; throat and under surface black ;
the sides brownish, the flanks white ; thighs white ; under tail and

ALAUDID^ AMMOMANES 197

wing-coverts and axillaries black ; quills below dusky with light
inner margins.

Iris hazel ; bill ash-white ; legs and feet ash-coloured.

Length 5-00 ; wing 3-30 ; tail 1'90 ; tarsus 0-70 ; culmen 0-50.

Adult female. — Without black on the head, both head and upper
surface being chestnut ; collar round hind neck buff ; sides of head
pale rufous ; below, buff-brown, the centre of abdomen black.

Length 4-60 ; wing 3-10 ; tail 1-75.

Distribution. — From Northern Cape Colony and Griqualand
West to the Cunene and Zambesi Elvers, extending into Angola
and German East Africa as far north as Zanzibar. Andersson
writes " I have observed this species, though very sparingly, in
Damara Land, and also to the northward, but not in Great
Namaqua Land." Not uncommon on the Orange Eiver, according
to Dr. Bradshaw.

Habits. — Very like P. verticalis in its habits, but it is usually in
smaller flocks, numbering from ten to forty or fifty individuals, and
it is often found feeding on the ground among dwarf bushes, while
P. verticalis keeps to more open country. Mr. T. Ayres found these
Larks in the Northern Transvaal on the Limpopo Eiver; he
remarks, *' We found these birds frequenting the open glades along
the banks of the Limpopo in companies consisting of sometimes
as many as fifty individuals. They were feeding on grass-seeds
after the manner of Finches."

Mr. Andersson writes regarding the habits of this species in
Damara Land : "It is seen in small flocks, which frequent the
ground in open localities covered with grass and scanty dwarf
vegetation, among which they run with great rapidity, taking flight
for a short distance only when disturbed."

Genus II. AMMOMANES.

Type.
AmmomaneS) Cabanis, Mus. Hein. Th. i, p. 125 (1850)... A. deserti.

Bill thick, higher than broad at nostrils, slightly curved ; the
nostrils concealed by a tuft of plumes. Wing with ten primaries,
the first small, but exceeding the primary- coverts in length, the
second much shorter than the third. Hind claw curved, shorter
than the hind toe. Sexes ahke in colour, this being very uniform
and of a sandy or rufous tone.

Larks belonging to this genus are found in open sandy plains

198 ALAUDID^ AMMOMANES

and deserts where their plumage resembles the soil, more or less,
in colour. They spend most of their time on the ground, but
occasionally when singing, rise in the air for a short distance, and
fall again abruptly.

Eight species of the genus have been described, distributed over
the arid plains of Africa and Asia. Three species are confined to
South Africa.

Key to the Species.

a. Under surface, including the under wing-coverts,

white ; the breast unstreaked A. grayi, p. 198.

b. Under wing-coverts lead-grey ; the breast streaked

with dusky.
aK Smaller : wing 3*60 ; chest sHghtly spotted

with dusky A. erythroclilaimjs,

p. 199.
h^. Larger : wing 4*10 ; breast much streaked

with black A. ferruginea, p. 200.

^3 ^ 109. Ammomanes^ grayi. Gray's Lark.

Alauda grayi, WaJilberg, (Efvers, Stochliohn, 1855, p. 213; Giorney

in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 193 (1872).
Ammomanes grayi, Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1874, pi. Ixxvi, fig. 2 ; id. ed.

Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 507 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 643 (1890) ;

Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 17 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above, reddish-brown; wing-coverts
like the back ; quills grey tipped with white and margined externally
with reddish-brown ; tail-feathers dark brown, their bases whitish,
their inner webs tipped with white, the outer webs of the two
outer feathers whitish ; forehead, lores, eyebrow and sides of face
dull white ; in front of eye a spot of dusky ; ear-coverts light
rufous; under surface of body white, the breast and sides tinged
with fawn-colour ; on each side of breast a patch of black ; under
wing-coverts dull white.

Length, in flesh, 5-60; of skin 5-20; wing 3-25; tail 1-85;
tarsus 0-85 ; culmen 0*65.

Adult feinale. — Like the male in colour but smaller.

Length, in flesh, 5-35 ; wing 305 ; tail 1-80.

Distribution. — South- West Africa : Damara Land.

£?a6i^s.— Andersson writes : " This Lark is found on the barren
plains in the neighbourhood of Walfisch Bay, as well as some

ALAUDID^ AMMOMANES 199

distance inland ; but I have not observed it so far east as Objim-
binque. It feeds on seeds and insects, and is comparatively tame,
but where grass abounds it is difficult to secure. A few individuals
are usually found together."

110. Ammomanes erythrochlamys. Bed-bached Lark.

Alauda erythrochlamys, StricM. Contr. Orn. 1852, p. 151 ; Gurney in

Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 194 (1872).
Megalophonus erythrochlamys, Ayres, Ibis, 1874, pi. iii, fig. 1 ; 1878,

p. 298.
Ammomanes erythrochlamys, Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 506

(1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 648 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 17

(1896).

Description. Adult male in summer. — Above, including the
wings, cinnamon-red, the wing-feathers edged externally with
cream-colour ; upper tail-coverts and two centre tail-feathers paler
cinnamon, the other tail-feathers with their outer webs and tips
cinnamon-red, their inner webs light fuscous ; crown like the back ;
eyebrow and spot below eye pale cream colour ; ear-coverts pale
rufous ; under surface of body yellowish-white, the chest spotted
with triangular markings of brown ; under wing-coverts buff.

Iris hazel ; bill dusky ; legs and feet pale brown.

Length, in flesh 8*00 ; of skin 7-00 ; wing 4-20 ; tail 3*00 ; tarsus
1-15; culmenO-75.

Adult male in ivinter. — Above, including the wing- coverts, pale
fawn-colour streaked with reddish-brown, the coverts edged with
buff ; quills pale brown edged with buff ; tail-feathers dark brown
edged with buff, the outer web of outer feather entirely buff' ; lores,
eyebrow, streak below eye, and cheeks white; ear-coverts fawn-
colour ; below, cream-colour, the sides tinged with rufous, the chest
with triangular spots of pale brown ; under wing-coverts buff.

Adult female. — Like the male in colour but slightly smaller.

Length 7*12 ; wing 3-75 ; tail 2-50 ; tarsus 1*12.

Distribution.— 'Fxom the Transvaal, where it is a resident, to
Damara Land.

Habits. — But little is known of the habits of this Lark. Mr. T.
Ayres writes in the " Ibis" for 1874, p. 103, " I shot the specimen
sent (a female) amongst some rocks and stones in a range of low
hills some three or four miles from Potchefstroom ; it had a pecuHar
knack of hiding itself by creeping over and about the bits of rock."

200 ALAUDIDJE AMMOMANES

la the *'Ibis" for 1878, p. 298, the same observer remarks, re-
garding two males of this species, " shot November 2, on the rocky
ranges near Potchefstroom." " Eises a short distance, and utters a
prolonged * whew ' whilst descending. The stomach of one of these
specimens contained insects."

/O r^ Ammomanes ferrugmea.

111.^ Ammomanes ferruginea. Ferruginous Lark.

*•

Alauda ferruginea, Smith, III. Zool., S. Afr. pi. 29 (1839) ; Laijard, B.

S. Afr. p. 208 (1867).
Ammomanes ferruginea, Sharpe, eel. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 504 (1884) ;

id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 649 (1890) ; Shelleij, B. Afr. i, p. 17 (1896).

Description. Adult. — Like A. erythrochlamys but larger and of
a much darker rufous ; the flanks ash- coloured, the breast and
flanks streaked with black ; under wing-coverts lead-colour.

Iris dark brown ; bill yellowish-brown ; legs and feet light
yellowish-brown .

Length 7-50 ; wing 4-10 ; tail 3*20 ; tarsus 1-20 ; culmen 0-70.

Distribution. — Northern Cape Colony bordering on the Orange
Eiver.

Habits. — Sir Andrew Smith gives the following account of this
Lark : — " The extensive plains immediately to the southward of the
Orange Eiver, commonly called the Bushman Flats, form the
favourite habitat of this Lark. It is a wild bird, manifesting con-
siderable suspicion at the appearance of man, and unless in the

ALAUDID^

CALENDULA

201

mornings, rarely permits him to approach so near as to enable him
to shoot it. It soars very frequently, particularly in the early part
of the day, and about sunrise whistles delightfully ; being, while so
occupied, generally perched upon the summit of the highest bush
which exists in the locality."

Genus III. CALENDULA.

Type.

Calendula, Siuainson, Class B. ii, p. 292 (1837) C. crassirostris.

Bill thick, much compressed, higher than broad at the nostrils,
the culmen curved and convex ; the commissure arched ; the tip of
the upper mandible wide above and inflexed. Nostrils covered
with stiff bristle-like plumes. Wing rather long ; the first primary

Calendula crassirostris.

equal to the inner toe and claw ; the second nearly equal to the
third and fourth which are longest. Tail slightly forked. Lateral
toes equal ; hind claw long, nearly straight and pointed, longer than
the toe. Plumage : the back mottled, the feathers with black
centres.

This Genus contains a single species the range of which is
confined to South Africa.

202 ALAUDID^ CALENDULA ' ^

/* 6 o ^Yl. Calendula crassirostris. Thick-billed Lark.

L'Alouette a gros bee, Levaillant, Ois. d'Afr. pi. 193 (1805).

Alauda erassirostris, Vieillot, Nouv. Diet, i, p. 373 (1816) ; Layard's B.

8. Afr. p. 208 (1867) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1875, p. 81.
Calendula crassirostris, Gurney in Andersson's B. Dmnara Land, p.

195 (1872) ; Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1874, p. 636 ; id. ed. Layard's B. S. Afr.

p. 513 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 639 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i,

p. 17 (1896).

"Dubbelde Leeuwick" of the Dutch.

Description. Adult male in summer. — Above, dark brown, the
feathers edged with fulvous, the lower back and rump lighter ;
crown Hght brown streaked with brown ; hind neck rather more
fulvous streaked with dark brown ; wing-coverts dark brown edged
with ash-colour ; quills brown edged and tipped with white ; upper
tail-coverts ash-brown streaked with dark brown ; tail-feathers dark
brown edged with grey, the two outer margined and tipped with
dull white ; a streak on each side of the crown, feathers above and
below eye and lores reddish white ; cheeks reddish-white spotted
with brown; ear-coverts brown streaked with buff; under surface
yellowish-white, the throat spotted, the lower breast and sides
narrowly striped with blackish; flanks brown streaked with dark
brown ; under wing-coverts pale brown margined with white.

Iris brown ; upper mandible horn-coloured ; the lower paler ;
legs and feet pale brown.

Length 6-80 ; wing 4-00 ; tail 2-80 ; tarsus 1-00 ; culmen 0-75.

Adult male in pointer. — Duller than in summer ; most of the
feathers with grey edges ; below yellowish, the breast less spotted
and with paler brown.

Adult female. — Eesembles the male in colour but is smaller.

Young. — Of a more uniform brown ; the feathers of the upper
parts edged with white.

' Distribution. — Chiefly in the western districts of South Africa : —
in Cape Colony very generally distributed from Cape Town over the
northern and western parts of the Colony, ranging into the Orange
Free State and throughout Great Namaqua into Damara Land.
Common on the Cape Flats.

Habits. — The Thick-billed Lark is usually to be met with on
level or gently undulating ground and on sandy soil with a scanty
growth of bushes, occasionally it may be seen on ploughed land.
In Damara Land, according to Andersson, " it frequents localities

^3X^ C --^u^ - "n.^^^.r,jU "lUnJJh'

r

ALAUDID^ GALERITA 203

covered with grass and dwarf vegetation, and frequently those of
a rocky character."

This Lark is nearly always in pairs ; it has a prolonged drawl-
ing call-note, and in spring a short song, often uttered by the male
as he rises for a short distance on the wing : it feeds on seeds and
insects, especially on small beetles.

About the middle of September, in Cape Colony, the female
constructs her nest, of dry grass and horse-hair, in a slight hollow
scratched at the side of a grass-tuft. Four or five eggs are laid
towards the ei;id of the month. They are pale cream-colour, more
or less spotted and mottled with various shades of purplish-brown
and grey. They measure 0-90 x 0-65.

Genus IV. GALERITA.

Ty^pe.

Galerita, Bole, Isis, 1828, p. 321 G. cristata.

Bill slightly elongated, moderately strong; the nostrils basal,
concealed by recurved feathers. Wings moderately long, broad,
the first quill shorter than the coverts, the second shorter than the
fifth, the third, fourth and fifth nearly equal and longest. Tail
moderate, slightly emarginate. Tarsi rather long. Claws short,
curved, the hind claw long and slightly curved. Crown crested.

Oalerita niodesta.

The Crested Larks are found in Southern and Central Europe,
Southern Asia, and over the greater part of Africa. About six
species, and a number of races, differing in shade of colour from
the typical species, are known.

204 ALAUpiDiE MIRAFRA

The Crested Larks inhabit open country, both desert and cul-
tivated, the common European species being often found on roads.
They are not as a rule gregarious but are frequently found in single
pairs. Their short song, uttered from a perch on some slight
elevation, sometimes on the wing, is not unpleasing. They feed
on the ground on insects and small seeds, build cup-shaped nests
in some slight hollow and lay four or five whitish eggs spotted and
blotched with purplish-brown and grey.

113. Galerita modesta. IleugUn's Crested Lark.

Galerita modesta, Heugl. Jour. f. Orn. 1864, p. 274 ; SheUeij, P. Z. S.

1888, p. 28 ; id. B. Afr. i, p. 17 (1896).
Geocoraphus modestus, Heugl. J. f. 0. 1868, p. 229 ; id. Orn. N.O.-Afr.

p. 691, pi. 23 (1871).
Heliocorys modesta, SharjJe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 623 (1890).

DescrijHion. Adult 7nale. — Above, buff-brown, the feathers with
black centres ; upper tail-coverts tinged with rufous ; wing-coverts
blackish -brown edged with buff or grey ; quills blackish- brown
margined with rufous ; tail-feathers blackish-brown edged with
fulvous, the outer rufous-buff with a diagonal dark streak across
both webs, the next broadly edged externally with rufous-buff";
crown slightly crested, coloured like the back ; a broad eyebrow,
lores, and feathers below eye whitish ; ear-coverts light brown ;
cheeks white crossed by a black streak ; throat grey ; malar line
lack ; rest of under surface grey tinged with rufous-buff on the
sides and flanks, the chest thickly spotted and streaked with black,
the sides and flanks streaked with dark brown ; axillaries and under
wing-coverts rufous-buff.

Iris dusky brown; bill flesh-colour; feet reddish-brown.
Length 5-85; wing 3-30; tail 1-95 ; tarsus 0-80; culmen 0-45.

Adidt female. — Similar to the male in colour but smaller;
length 5-40 ; wing 340; tail 1-90.

Distribution. — Equatorial Africa : Clan William in Cape Colony
(Leipoldt).

Genus V. MIRAFRA.

Tyjye.
Mirafra, Horsfield, Trans. Linn. Soc. xiii, p. 159 (1820)... M. javanica.

Bill short, elevated at the base, compressed, the culmen curved
to the tip ; nostrils exposed, covered by membrane only, basal and
lateral. Wings very short ; the first or outer quill well developed,

ALAUDID^

MIEAFEA

205

equal to or exceeding the inner toe and claw in length ; the second
quill nearly as long as the third, which is longest. Tail moderate.
Tarsus longer than the middle toe and slender ; toes moderate, the
outer and inner equal. Hind claw short and somewhat curved, the
front claws short and curved.

Mi7'af7-a cheniana.

The Genus Mirafra includes twenty-four species of Larks which
are distributed over Africa and Southern Asia. Eleven species are
found, more or less commonly, in South Africa and are nearly all
resident. The Mirafrce frequent plains and open bush-land, feed
on the ground on insects and small seeds, but habitually perch on
trees and bushes. All the species are gifted with a pleasant song
which is frequently uttered by the bird as it mounts for a short
distance in the air. The nest is built in some slight hollow in the
ground by the side of a tuft of grass. About half the species build

206 ALAUDID^ MIRAFRA

domed, the remainder cup-shaped nests. They lay from three to
five whitish eggs, thickly spotted and zoned with different shades of
purplish-brown and grey.

Key to the Species {after Sharpe).

a. Light pattern of outer tail-feather white or

pale fulvous.
a^. Inner lining of wing- quills not rufous.
a^. Above black ; ear-coverts black ; throat

and breast thickly spotted with black... M, nigricans, p. 207.
b^. Above tawny or sandy, broadly streaked
with black.
a^. Smaller; wing about 3'30; breast

thickly spotted with black M. sahota, p. 208.

¥. Larger ; wing about 3'50 ; breast thinly

spotted with black M. ncevia,^. 209.

b^. Inner lining of wing-quills entirely rufous,
extending over both webs of the primaries
at the base,
c^. Culmen less than 0*65.

c^. Back rufous M. africanoides,^.^\Q.

d?. Back grey M. damarensis, p. 211.

d^. Culmen over 0*75 ; the hinder crown

rufous with black tips M. africana, p. 212.

c^ Inner lining of wing-quills and under wing-
coverts isabelline white M. fringillaris, p. 214.

d^. Inner lining of wing- quills and under wing-
coverts deep chestnut M. cheniama, p. 215.

b. Light pattern of outer tail-feathers tawny-

rufous.
e^. Wing-quills brown, edged with ash-brown ;

centre tail-feathers pale rufous with broad

blackish centres ; crown grey spotted with

brown M. fisclieri, p. 216.

p. Wing-quills dusky-brown with rufous or

ashy margins ; centre tail-feathers black-
ish mottled with rufous ; crown ash-grey

with but little rufous M. apiata, p. 217.

g^. Wing-quiUs almost entirely rufous ; the

tips dusky ; centre tail-feathers rufous

with black bars ; crown rufous with black

spots M. ruflpilea, p. 218,

ALAUDID^ MAEAFBA 207

114. Mirafra nigricans. Dusky Lark.

Alauda nigricans, Sundev. (Efv. K. Vet.-Akad. Forh. Stockh., 1850,

p. 99.
Mirafra nigricans, Sharpe, P. Z. S., 1874, p. 651 ; id. ed. Layard's

B. S. Afr., p. 530 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 619 (1890) ; Bocage,

Orn. Angola, p. 376, pi. viii, fig. 1 (1881) ; Ayres, Ibis, 1884, p. 231 ;

1886, p. 290; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 16 (1896).

Description. Adult rnale in luinter. — Above, ashy-black, the
feathers broadly edged with rufous ; wing-coverts, quills and tail-
feathers black ])roadly margined with rufous, the secondaries and
inner primaries tipped with white ; eyebrow white ; lores and
feathers below eye whitish ; ear- coverts black and white ; line below
the lores and from the bill to the ear-coverts black ; a malar line
black ; cheeks and lower surface of body dirty white, the lower
throat and breast thickly marked with triangular black spots
becoming streaks on the lower breast ; flanks mottled black and
white ; under wing-coverts black edged with white ; quills below
dusky becoming rufous at the base of the inner webs.

Iris hazel ; bill dusky ; legs and feet yellowish.

Length of skin 7-40 ; in flesh 8*00 ; wing 4-75 ; tail 2*95 ; tarsus
1-15 ; culmen 0-70.

Adult male in summer. — Almost entirely black owing to the
paler edges to the feathers being abraded.

Distribution. — From the Transvaal through the Makalaka
Country to Benguela. Originally discovered by Professor Wahlberg
on the Limpopo River in the Transvaal, and subsequently obtained
by Dr. Bradshaw in the Makalaka country, and by Anchieta at
Humbe in Benguela. Not uncommon in the Transvaal near
Potchefstroom and Eustenburg.

Habits. — Mr. T. Ayres writes in the ** Ibis " for 1884 regarding
a male of this somewhat rare Lark, shot on January 10 : "This,
to me, exceedingly scarce bird was shot amongst the hills to the
north of Rustenburg, within six miles of the Crocodile Eiver ; it
was a solitary bird, running on some flat rocks with much shelter-
ing scrub about, and very Pipit-like in its appearance and manners."
*' Stomach contained locusts." In the " Ibis " for 1886 he remarks
regarding another example also killed on January 10: "This is
the second specimen of M. nigricans which I have met with. I
found it amongst the scrubby bush on a rocky range of hills, some
couple of miles from the banks of the Mooi River and about twenty

?•

208 ALAUDIDiE MARAFRA

from the sources of that stream. My attention was attracted to
the bird by its large size, dipping flight, and Pipit-like appearance."

115. Mirafra sabota. Sabota Lark.

"^.0

Mirafra sabota, Smith, Bep, Exp. Centr. Afr. 1836, p. 47 ; id. 111. Zool.

8. Afr. Birds, pi. 89, fig. 2 (1843) ; Sharpe, ed. Bayard's B. 8. Afr.

p. 526 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 618 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i,

p. 16 (1896).
Megalophonus sabota, Gray, Gen. B. ii, p. 882 (1844) ; Layard, B. 8.

Afr. p. 213 (1867).

Description. Adult male in winter. — Above, fawn-colour, the
centre of each feather dusky brown ; back of neck tinged with
reddish ; wing-coverts dark brown with broad margins of fawn-
colour ; primary coverts grey-brown edged and tipped with white ;
quills dark brown edged with buff and tipped with white ; upper tail-
coverts dark brown edged and tipped with fulvous; tail-feathers
blackish tipped with white and edged with buff ; crown fawn-colour
mottled with blackish ; eyebrow and streak below eye white ; in
front of eye black; ear-coverts buff- colour; cheeks buff spotted
with black ; throat buff-white ; rest of under surface brownish-
white, the chest marked with triangular spots of dark brown ; the
flanks tinged, the sides streaked with rufous ; a illaries and under
wing-coverts grey margined with white.

Iris brown; bill horn-coloured, the upper mandible darker;
legs and feet flesh-coloured.

Length 5-80 ; wing 3-30 ; tail 2-40 ; tarsus 0-90 ; culmen 0-55.

In summer the light margins to the feathers of the upper parts
disappear and the entire plumage is rufous-brown ; the chest is
tinged with rufous and more distinctly spotted.

Adult female. — Eesembles the male in colour, but is smaller.

Length 5-50 ; wing 3-25 ; tail 2-25.

Distribution. — East and South-east Africa ; from the Orange
Free State to Masai Land. Of rather common occurrence in some
parts of the Transvaal, Bechuana, and Matabili Lands.

Habits. — In the Transvaal these Larks frequent open glades on
the outskirts of the bush country. They feed on the ground in
small parties or in pairs, and if disturbed, sometimes fly off to
settle again on the ground, but more frequently to take refuge on
the nearest bush or low tree. Sir Andrew Smith, who met with
this species near Latakoo, described it as having there the same

ALAUDID^ MIRAFKA 209

habit of perching on low bushes when frightened. These Larks
feed on small grass-seeds and insects, and like most of their con-
geners, occasionally sing very sweetly, sometimes from the top of a
bush, more often while hovering a few yards above the ground. In
the Transvaal they breed in December. A hollow, about three
inches deep, is scratched by the side of a grass-tuft, and lined with
fine dry grass, and in it, about the middle of December, are
deposited three eggs of a greyish ground colour, profusely speckled
and spotted all over with brown and purplish-brown. They measure
about 0-78 x 0-58.

^ "^ ' 116. Mirafra nsevia. Darh-lined Larh.

Alauda naevia, StricM. Contr. Orn, 1852, p. 152.

Megalophonus naevius, Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 199

(1872).
Megalophonus sabota, Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 195

(1872).
Mirafra naevia, Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr., p. 524 (1884) ; id. Cat

B. M. xiii, p. 617 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr., i, p. 16 (1896).

Adult male in summer. — Above, reddish-brown streaked with
dark brown ; crown paler ; hind neck ash-brown ; scapulars dark
brown margined with rufous ; wing- coverts like the back ; quills
black edged with rufous externally and tipped with grey ; upper
tail-coverts rufous streaked with brown and tipped with buff ; tail
black margined and tipped with buff, the centre feathers "broadly
edged with rufous ; eyebrow, feathers below eye and lores whitish ;
feathers in front of eye dusky ; ear-coverts dark brown streaked with
buff ; cheeks and under surface of body white tinged with buff on
the chest and sides, the lower throat and chest marked with
triangular spots of brown ; under wing-coverts lead-colour.

Iris hazel ; bill horn-coloured ; legs and feet flesh-colour.

Length 6-50 ; wing 3-50 ; tail 235 ; tarsus 0-95 ; culmen 0-75.

Adult male in winter. — Paler than in summer ; the hind-neck
distinctly grey, the eyebrow more distinctly white ; the chest
narrowly streaked with pale brown.

Adult female. — Similar to the male in plumage but smaller.

Length 5-75 ; wing 8-40 ; tail 2-85.

Distributioji. — From Northern Cape Colony and Griqualand
West to Damara Land and Ondongo.

Habits. — Andersson gives the following account of this Lark

7

210 ALAUDID^ MIRAFRA

under the headings of Megalophonus sabota and M. nosvius, in the
" Birds of Damara Land," pages 195 and 199: "This is a very
common bird about Objimbinque ; it is by no means timid, and
settles on trees and bushes as well as on the ground. Its food
consists of seeds and insects."

*' I met with this Lark at various places north of the Omaruru
Eiver, where, although rather local, it is abundant in some locali-
ties, and especially in Ondongo. On April 25 I found its nest in
the last-named locaUty, containing three eggs of a very elongated
form and much pointed at one end. Other nests which I met with
on various occasions were either empty or contained young birds.

'' The nest is composed of fine grasses, and is built upon the
ground, into which the lower portion of it is sunk to the depth of
two or three inches ; it is placed between and resting against two
stout plants, and is round and dome-shaped, with one large opening
to the southward, the side freest from the wind and rain.

" I am always delighted to hear this bird as it makes the welkin
ring with its sonorous song and call, composed of a series of notes,
which it utters either when perched on a tree or when moving from
one spot to another. Whilst thus flying and singing it may be seen
alternately to open and close its wings, sometimes almost bringing
them to meet over its back, when it appears for the moment to be
suspended in the air."

Mr. T. Ayres writes : '* These Larks are rather common amongst
the thorn-trees on the banks of the Limpopo, where they occur
either singly or in pairs. When disturbed they usually settle on
the top of some low thorn and remain till the cause of alarm has
disappeared, when they return to the ground in search of seeds and
insects " ('* Ibis," 1886, p. 290).

^ ' 117. Mirafra africanoides. Fawn-coloured Lark.

Mirafra africanoides, Smith, Bejp. Exjj. C. Afr. 1836, p. 47; id. III.

Zool. 8. Afr. Birds, pi. 88, fig. 2 (1843) ; Sliarpe, ed. Layard's B. S.

Afr. p. 523 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 616 (1890) ; Shelleij, B.

Afr. i, p. 16 (1896).
Megalophonus africanoides, Gray, Gen. B. ii, p. 382 (1844) ; Gurney in

Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 198 (1872) ; Layard, B. S. Afr.,

p. 214 (1867).

Description. — Adult male in summer. — Above reddish-brown,
narrowly streaked with black ; wing-coverts dark brown with

ALAUDID^ MIBAFEA 211

rufous edges and narrow black shaft-sfcreaks ; quills with broad
rufous margins and dark brown centres ; upper tail-coverts pale
brown ; tail-feathers dark brown edged with reddish-brown, the
outer web of the outermost edged with whitish ; eyebrow, feathers
round the eye and lores whitish ; spot in front of eye dusky ; ear-
coverts bright rufous ; cheeks and under surface whitish, with
triangular dusky spots on the chest ; under wing-coverts and inner
webs of quills rufous. ^

Iris chestnut ; bill yellow-brown ; legs and feet flesh-coloured.

Length 6-75; wing 3-70; tail 2-90; tarsus 0-98 ; culmen 0-60.

Adult female. — Similar to the male in colour, but rather smaller.

Length 5*75 ; wing 3-45 ; tail 2-55.

In winter the plumage is less bright owing to the disappearance
of the rufous margins to the feathers, which are now sandy-brown,
the spots on the breast are also less numerous.

Young. — Resemble the adults in summer plumage, but are
brighter and have the chest more thickly spotted.

Distribution. — South Africa : Northern Cape Colony bordering
on the Orange River ; northward to the Zambesi and Cunene
Rivers. It is not uncommon near Colesberg and Hopetown in
Cape Colony, but is much more numerous to the north of the
Orange River in Griqualand West and Bechuanaland. Andersson
writes, " This bird is very frequent in the neighbourhood of Otjim-
binque, and is not uncommon in various other parts of Damara and
Great Namaqualand."

Habits. — Near Colesberg, says Mr. Ortlepp, it is " found singly,
inhabiting wooded places, and abounding on tall camel or thorn
trees, from whose topmost twigs they are frequently to be heard
pouring out a sweet sustained song."

Andersson writes : " It is found in pairs, and is comparatively
tame, flying but a short distance when disturbed, and settling on
the ground or on a bush or tree ; it has a kind of chirping song."

118. Mirafra damarensis. Damara Lark.

Mirafra damarensis, Sharjye, P. Z. S., 1874, p. 650, pi. 75, fig. 2; id.
ed. Layard's B. 8. Afr. p. 522 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 612
(1890) ; Shelley. B. Afr. i, p. 16 (1896).

Description. — Adult male in winter. — Above sandy-grey narrowly
streaked with black ; wing-coverts paler with grey margins ; greater
coverts fawn-colour margined with whitish ; quills dark brown

212 ALAUDIDiE MIRAFRA

tinged externally with buff, the basal two-thirds of the primaries,
and a less extent of the secondaries, rufous ; tail-feathers blackish,
the centre feathers tinged with grey and edged and tipped with
whitish, the three outer feathers bordered and tipped with white,
the outer web of the outermost entirely white ; lores, eyebrow, and
sides of face white ; ear-coverts brownish ; under surface white,
tinged with cream colour below the throat, the chest speckled with
dark brown ; thighs buff ; under wing-coverts and base of quills
rufous.

Length 5-50 ; wing 345 ; tail 2-40 ; tarsus 1*10; culmen 0-65.

Distribution. — Ovampo Land : the type was procured by Ander-
sson at Ondongo, in November, 1866.

I ^ 119. Mirafra africana. hufous-na^ed Lark.

Mirafra africana, Smith, Bej). Exi). Centr. Afr., 1836, p. 47 ; id. III.

Zool. S. Afr. Birds, pi. 88, fig. 1 (1843) ; SJimye, ed. Layard's

B. S. Afr. pp. 519, 851 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 607 (1890) ;

Shelley, B. Afr. i. p. 16 (1896).
Megalophonus africaniis, Gray, Gen. B. ii, p. 382 (1844) ; Layard, B.

S. Afr. p. 212 (1867).
Megalophonus rostratus, Hartlauh, Ibis, 1863, p. 326, pi. 9 ; Layard,

B. S. Afr. p. 213 (1867).

Descriptio7i. Adult male in surnvier. — Above, brown, the feathers
margined with reddish-brown and streaked centrally with black;
wing-coverts bay-red streaked with brown ; quills chestnut-red
for the basal three-fourths, the terminal fourth brown ; crown and
nape chestnut-red streaked with black ; the forehead darker, mottled
with black; lores and eyebrow buff; ear-coverts and cheeks buff
spotted with brown ; throat dull white ; rest of under surface buff,
the breast and sides tinged with chestnut, the lower throat and
sides of chest sparingly marked with triangular black streaks ;
axillaries, under wing-coverts, and under surface of quills, excepting
the ends, chestnut-red.

Iris hazel; upper mandible dusky, the edges and the under
mandible yellowish-brown ; legs and feet flesh-colour.

Length 7-00 ; wing 3*80 ; tail 2-90; tarsus 1-20; culmen 0-80.

Adult male in winter. — Much darker than in summer ; the crown
broadly streaked with dark brown ; forehead dark brown ; back
of neck and rump tinged with grey ; below a deeper chestnut ; the
breast more spotted.

ALAUDID^

MIKAFEA

213

Adult female. — Kesembles the male but is smaller, with a more
slender bill.

Length 6-75; wing 3-50; tail 2-70; tarsus 1-15; culmen 0*70.

Young. — Above, brown, with but little chestnut-red, the feathers
tipped with fulvous and barred subterminally with black crescents ;
below dull buff-white, the breast tinged with reddish-brown and
mottled with bars of deeper red-brown.

Mirafra africana.

Distribution. — From Eastern Cape Colony through Natal,
Zululand, the Transvaal, Bechuanaland, Matabililand, and the
Portuguese Territory as far north as Zanzibar. On the West coast
from the Cunene Eiver to Gaboon. In Cape Colony it is not rare
in the district between Port Ehzabeth and Grahamstown and
thence to East London and Griqualand East. In Natal it is
somewhat common in suitable localities, and in the Transvaal is
tolerably plentiful and resident between the Vaal and Hartz Rivers,
to the west of Potchefstroom. It occurs near Rustenburg and
breeds abundantly on the Marico and Limpopo Rivers. Moffat

i^r

214 ALAUDID^ MIKAFEA

met with this species at Kuruman and Frank Gates to the south
of the Zambesi. Andersson did not fall in with it in Damara
Land, although it is common to the north of the Cunene Eiver
according to Anchieta.

Hahits. — Generally met with on open grassy plains in pairs,
feeding on the ground on small seeds and insects. If alarmed
or followed it runs along the ground with great swiftness and
frequently hides under the grass ; sometimes it takes wing at
once uttering a sharp cry as it does so. On sunny days this
Lark is fond of airing itself on the top of a bush, constantly
opening and shutting its wings as it utters its loud note. At
times it rises a few yards in the air with a fluttering flight, during
which it sings a few notes not unmelodiously. In the North-
western Transvaal these Larks breed in numbers. The nest is
well concealed and by no means easy to find. A hollow is
scratched well under shelter of a tuft of grass and lined with
fine dry grass, some grass stems are then pulled over the nest
and intertwined with long blades of dry grass so as to form an
arched bower, a small side entrance being left on one side. Three
elongated eggs are laid about the second week in December ; these
are cream-coloured, spotted all over with pale brown, more thickly
at the obtuse end with dark brown and purplish-brown, often in
the form of a zone. They average 0-95 x 0"60.

120. Mirafra fringillaris. Finch-like Lark.

Mirafra fringillaris, Sundev. (Efv. K. Vet.-Ah. Fork. StocJch. 1850,
p. 99 ; SharjJe, P. Z. S. 1874, p. 649, pi. 75, fig. 1 ; id. ed. Laijard's
B. S. Afr. p. 527 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 606 (1890) ; Shelley,
B. Afr. i, p. 15 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above, dusky brown, the feathers
edged with buff, the back tinged with rufous ; wing-coverts brown
edged with reddish-brown; quills darker brown margined with
rufous ; tail dark brown, edged with fulvous ; the outer feather
chiefly white, the next white on the external edge ; eyebrow and
lores huffish ; ear- coverts rufous spotted with brown ; sides of
neck, cheeks, and throat buff ; rest of under surface cream-coloured
thickly spotted with dark brown on the chest ; under surface of
quills and under wing-coverts buff- white; edge of wing mottled
brown and white.

ALAUDIDiE3 MIRAFRA 215

Iris hazel ; bill horn-coloured ; legs and feet reddish-brown.

Length 5-90; wing 3-10 ; tail 2-50; tarsus 0'85 ; culmen 0-60.

Distribution. — From the Transvaal to Damara Land. A very
common resident in the North-western Transvaal.

Habits. — This Lark frequents open glades in thorny bush, and
runs much on the ground in search of the small seeds and insects
on which it feeds. It is usually in small flocks or single pairs.
In spring it frequently mounts into the air ''on quivering wing,"
and sings melodiously until it sinks again to the ground. It breeds
abundantly in the Transvaal in the neighbourhood of the Limpopo
and Marico Eivers. A hole is scratched in the ground under shelter
of a tuft of grass, and this is lined with dry grass ; many of the
surrounding grass-blades are bent over the nest and intertwined with
long pieces of dry grass, so as to shelter it from above, a side
entrance being left for the ingress and egress of the bird. From
two to four eggs are deposited about the first week in December.
These vary considerably, but are usually of a pale bluish ground
colour, mottled and speckled all over with different shades of
reddish-brown and grey or slate-colour, the spots frequently forming
a zone round the greatest diameter. They average 0*80 x 0*62.

/^^ 121. Mirafra cheniana. Latahoo Larh.

Mirafra cheniana, Smith, III. Zool. S. Afr. Aves, pi. 89, fig. 2 (1843) ;

Sharjpe, eil. Layard's B, S. Afr. pp. 528, 852 (1884) ; id. Cat.

B. M. xiii, p. 603 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 15 (1896).
Megalophonus chenianus Gray, Gen. B. ii, 382 (1844) ; Layard, B. S.

Afr. p. 214 (1867).

Descriptio7i. Adtclt. — Above, dark brown, the feathers with rufous
margins, the wing- coverts with black bases, the greater coverts
dark brown with rufous margins; quills dark brown with broad
margins of rufous ; upper tail-coverts dark brown with paler edges,
two centre tail-feathers dark brown with rufous margins ; the two
outermost white with a spot of brown on the base of the outer
and covering most of the inner web of the penultimate feather,
rest of tail-feathers dark brown ; eyebrow and feathers below eye
buff ; ear-coverts rufous mottled with brown ; sides of neck and
cheeks white mottled with brown ; throat dull white ; rest of under
surface pale rufous-brown tinged with deeper rufous on the chest,
flanks and thighs, the chest spotted with triangular marks of
dark brown, the sides streaked ; under wing-coverts and inner web
of quills rufous.

216 ALAUDID^ MIEAFKA

Iris light reddish-brown ; upper mandible dusky, its edges and
the lower mandible yellowish, legs and feet pink.

Length 5-00; wing, 300 ; tail 2-40; tarsus 0-90; culmen 0-50.

Distribution. — Discovered by Sir Andrew Smith near Latakoo ;
since obtained by Mr. T. C. Atmore on the Wittlesea Flats in
Eastern Cape Colony, and by Mr. T. Ayres in the Mariqua district
of the Transvaal and also at Potchefstroom.

Habits. — Sir Andrew Smith found this pretty little Lark on
grassy plains in the neighbourhood of Latakoo, running about
under the long grass, on the seeds of which, together with insects,
it was feeding. Like the majority of Larks of this genus the present
species frequents both open veldt and glades surrounded by bush,
and perches indifferently on the ground or on bushes. Mr. T.
Ayres remarks : *' This Lark somewhat resembles in its habits
the English Skylark, rising in the air in the early morning with
the same fluttering flight and singing sweetly all the time. I
observed this in the middle of February, towards the end of our
summer, and the birds were then in pairs. The food of this species
consists of small insects."

The same observer writes in the " Ibis" for 1880, p. 264 : " This
is emphatically our skylark, rising in the air to a considerable
distance, fluttering, it pours forth its hymn of praise and does not
weary. It enlivens the open grass veldt in particular localities,
making the whole country joyous on bright days, and as these
Larks are numerous, one then hears a continuous song. They
must, however, be more or less migratory, for a month or two
after the breeding- season the grass-lands they inhabit are silent,
and the songsters are no longer there. The cock birds are of a
jealous disposition, and are constantly seen chasing away the
would-be admirers of their particular inamoratas ; the hen-birds are
silent and retiring, and in consequence are not easily obtained."

yS^9 122. Mirafra fischeri. Fischer's Lark.

Megalophonus fischeri, Beichenow, Jour. f. Orn, 1878, p. 266.
Mirafra apiata (nee Vieill.) Shmye and Bouvier, Bull. Soc. Zool.
France, iii, p. 77 (1878) ; Shar^pe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 851

(1884) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1882, p. 350 ; id. P. Z. S. 1888, p. 28.
Mirafra fischeri, Shar^e, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 600 (1890) ; Shelley, B.

Afr., i. p. 15 (1896).
" Quatji," Matabili (Ayres).

Descri;ption. Adult male. — Above, brown, the feathers with paler
margins ; back and scapulars cross-barred with darlier brown ;

r^- ■- C

ALAUDID^ MIEAFRA 217

wing-coverts and quills brown edged with grey, the inner second-
aries with a subterminal black bar and pale tips; centre tail-
feathers with blackish centres and rufous margins ; remaining
tail-feathers dark brown edged with reddish-brown, the outermost
tawny, crossed obliquely on the inner web by black ; lores and
eyebrow sandy - brown ; ear - coverts rufous ; cheeks and under
surface of body buff, the lower throat and chest tinged with vinous
and sparingly spotted with brown ; axillaries and under wing-
coverts buff.

Iris brown ; bill brownish ; feet reddish.

Length 5-70 ; wing 3-15 ; tail 2-10 ; tarsus 1-00 ; culmen 0-65.

Adult fejiiale. — Similar to the male in plumage but a trifle smaller.

Distribution. — From Swazi Land to the Zambesi Eiver, thence
to German East Africa, the Upper Congo Eegion and Benguela.

Umvuli Eiver, Matabihland, in September (Ayres.)

Habits. — Under its synonym M. cqjiata, Mr. T. Ayres writes as
follows of this Lark in the ''Ibis" for 1882, page 350; " A few in this
part of the country (Umvuli Eiver, Matabililand) frequenting the
more open grassy patches."

/^^ 123. Mirafra apiata. Bar-tailed Lark.

L'Alouette bateleuse, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. iv, pi. 194 (1805).

Alauda apiata, Vieill. Nouv. Dict.i, p. 342 (1816).

Brachonyx apiata, Smith, III. Zool. S. Afr. pi. 110, fig. 1 (1847).

Megalophonus apiatus, BjJ. Consjpect. i, p. 244 (1850) ; Layard, B. S.

Afr. p. 215 (1867).
Mirafra apiata, Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1874, p. 638 ; id. ed. Layard's B. S.

Afr. p. 515 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 598 (1890) ; Shelley, B.

Afr. i., p. 15 (1896).

" Clapart Leeuwerk " of the Dutch.

Description. Adtdt viale in summer. — Above, dark brown with
concealed bars of rufous and black ; wing-coverts like the back but
with rufous tips ; inner secondaries with black shafts and bars ;
rest of quills brown with rufous edges ; tail brown, the outer feather
edged with fawn-colour ; eyebrow fawn-colour ; ear-coverts rufous ;
under surface of body bright fawn-colour speckled with black on the
throat and chest ; axillaries and under wing-coverts fawn-colour.

Iris hazel ; bill horn-colour ; legs and feet pink.

Length 5-00; wing 3-00; tail 2-20; tarsus 1*00; culmen 0-55.

Adidt male in lointer. — Above, grey barred with rufous ; crown

218 ALAUDID^ MIRAFEA

grey mottled with black; back of neck paler grey; wing-coverts
margined with grey ; inner secondaries dark brown edged with
grey ; remaining quills brown edged with rufous ; tail-feathers dark
brown tipped with white, the two centre feathers tinged with rufous
and grey and crossed by broken bars of black ; below reddish-buff,
slightly spotted with dusky on the throat and chest.

Adult female. — Like the male in colour, but slightly smaller.

Distribution. — Cape Colony, where it is common in nearly all
the western districts and as far to the east as Port Elizabeth, in
the neighbourhood of which town it is not rare, but its range does
not extend much further to the eastward. It is found also in
Griqualand West and in Bechuanaland and has been recorded from
Angola by Anchieta.

Habits. — Like all the Mirafrce this species frequents not only
the open country but also ground studded with clumps of bushes
on which it readily perches if disturbed ; sometimes, however, it runs
along the ground for a long distance in front of an intruder, crouch-
ing at intervals until closely approached, then running on as before.
Like other Larks it feeds on small seeds and insects.

Layard writes that this species '* is well known from its singular
habit of rising fifteen or thirty feet into the air, perpendicularly,
making a sharp cracking sound with its wings as it rises, uttering
a long shrill * phew,' and then falling as abruptly to the earth.
This action it will repeat at intervals of a minute or two, for an
hour or more, chiefly during dull mornings, but in bright weather
it commences before and after sunset. It delights in warm sandy
soils ; but we met with it on the high table-land of the Cold
Bokkeveld in considerable abundance."

7 ^ 3 124. Mirafra rufipilea. Bufous-headed Lark.

L'Alouette k calotte rousse, Levaill, Ois. d'Afr. iv. pi. 198 (1805).

Alanda rufipilea, Vieill. N. Diet, i, p. 345 (1816).

Brachonyx pyrrhonota, Smith, III. Zool. S. Afr. Birds, pi. 110, fig. 2

(1847).
Megalophonus rufipileus, Gray, Gen. B. ii, p. 382 (1844) ; Layard,

B. S. Afr. p. 211 (1867).
Mirafra rufipilea, SJiarjje, P. Z. S. 1874, p. 641 ; id. ed. Layard' s B. 8.

Afr. p. 517 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 597 (1890) ; Slielley, B.

Afr. i, p. 15 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above, reddish-brown, most of the
feathers barred with black and tipped with white ; mantle brighter

ALAUDID^ SPIZOCOETS 219

reddish ; wing-coverts like the back ; quills rufous for the basal
two thirds, brown for the terminal third ; two centre tail-feathers
brown with reddish margins; rest of tail-feathers brown tipped
with rufous, the outer feathers edged with buff ; eyebrow and lores
buff ; ear-coverts rufous ; cheeks and under surface fawn-coloured,
the sides of neck speckled with brown, the front of neck and chest
thickly marked with round black spots ; under wing-coverts and
inner margin of quills deep cinnamon-red.

Iris tawny-red ; bill horn-coloured ; legs and feet dusky.

Length 5-80 ; wing 3-35 ; tail 2-60 ; tarsus 1-00 ; culmen 0-60.

Adult female. — Eesembles the male in plumage but is smaller.

Young. — Above, a deeper cinnamon-red waved with black bars ;
ear-coverts spotted with black ; throat with faint bars of brown ;
flanks and thighs rufous mottled with brown ; chest cinnamon with
a few black dots.

Distribution. — North-eastern Cape Colony, the Orange Free
State and the Transvaal, ranging as far north as the Zambesi where
a specimen was obtained by Major Serpa Pinto.

Habits. — Mr. T. Ayres writes from the Transvaal : " This Lark
has precisely the habits of M. apiata." " One of the birds sent (a
male) had evidently, from the appearance of the skin on the breast
and belly, taken his share in incubation ; it was shot about the end
of March." In the "Ibis" for 1880 he remarks: ** This bird is
called amongst the farmers the ' Eain-bird,' as they consider it a
sign of rain when it rises during the breeding- season for some yards
in the air with a fluttering flight, descending with a loud ' whew '
when this action is often repeated ; but it is very certain that the
same habit prevails during a succession of dry weather ; in fact it
is one way in which the cock bird pays its addresses to the hen,
and weather has very little to do with it."

Genus VI. SPIZOCORYS.

Type.

Spizocorys, Sundevall, Av. Meth. Tent. p. 54 (1873)... S. conirostris.

Bill short, somewhat thick, higher than broad at the nostrils,
conical ; the culmen rounded and shorter than the middle toe and
claw; the nostrils beset with bristles. The outer primary of the
wing rudimentary, not exceeding the inner toe and claw in length,
the distance between the tips of the secondaries and the tips of
the primaries less than the length of the tarsus or hind claw.

220 ALAUDID^ SPIZOCOBYS

The genus contains a single species which is resident in South
Africa.

7 L/ O 125. Spizocorys conirostris. Pink-hilled Lark.

Alauda conirostris, Sundev. (Efv. K. Vet.-Akad. Forh. Stockh. 1850,
p. 99 ; Gurneij in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 192 (1872) ;
Ayres, Ibis, 1874, p. 103, pi. iii, fig. 2 ; 1877, p. 345 ; 1878, p. 410 ;
1880, p. 104.

Spizocorys conirostris, Sundev. Tent. p. 55 (1872) ; Sharpe, P. Z. S.
1874, p. 631 ; id. ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 508 (1884) ; id. Cat
B. M. xiii, p. 564 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 14 (1896).

Spizocorys conirostris.

Description. Adult male. — Above, brown streaked with black,
the feathers of the back of neck, rump and upper tail-coverts edged
with grey; wing-coverts brown edged with buff; quills hghter
brown margined with buff; tail-feathers blackish tipped with white,
the two outer with buff ; crown like the back ; eyebrow and streak
below eye white ; ear- coverts brown ; cheeks white spotted with
black ; throat white ; rest of under surface pale rufous, the chest
with triangular spots of dusky ; axillaries and under wing-coverts
buff.

Iris hazel ; bill horn-colour ; legs and feet flesh-colour.

Length, in flesh 5*60 ; of skin 4-80 ; wing 3-05 ; tail 1-80 ; tarsus
0-75 ; culmen 0-50.

Adult female. — Like the male in colour but slightly smaller.

Young. — Above, dark brown, most of the feathers with white

7^9" . -

ALAUDID^ TEPHROCORYS 221

tips ; sides of neck grey, of face brown ; a black streak over the ear-
coverts ; under surface dull white, the breast tinged with brown,
the throat and breast spotted with dusky.

Distribution. — The Transvaal, where it is not uncommon near
Potchefstroom and in the Megaliesbergen, ranging across Bechuana-
land to Great Namaqualand, Damaraland, and Ondongo.

Habits. — Andersson found this pretty little Lark "not un-
common in Ondongo; " "before the breeding-season they are seen
in small flocks, but are less observable after they are paired."

" A pair which I watched occupied about eight days in con-
structing their nest and in the female bird laying her eggs, which
I took on March 31, after they had been incubated about three
days. The nest is formed in a hole excavated to the depth of about
two and a half inches and thickly lined with decomposed grasses."

Mr. T. Ayres met with this species near Potchefstroom, in the
Transvaal, "feeding on the open flats amongst the short grass."
He found them in this locality both in June and November, during
the latter month in pairs, so that they are probably resident. They
feed on insects and grass-seeds.

Genus VII. TEPHROCORYS.

Tijpe.
Tephrocorys, Shayj^e, P.Z.S. fl874), p. 633 T. cinerea.

Bill rather short and stout, equal in height and breadth at the
nostrils, the culmen shorter than the middle toe and claw. The
first primary rudimentary, not exceeding the inner toe and claw
in length. Tail short, shorter than the wing.

The genus Tephrocorys contains four species ; three are confined
to South Africa and Benguela, the fourth inhabits North-east Africa.

Key to the Species,

a. Crown of a uniform rufous, unstreaked.

a\ Crown bright chestnut-red T. cinerea, p. 222.

h^. Crown pale cinnamon-red T. spleniata, p. 223.

h. Crown rufous, striped with black T. anderssoni, p. 224.

i^y

222 ALAUDID^ TEPHROCOEYS

126. Tephrocorys cinerea. Bed-capj^ed Lark.

Alauda cinerea, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. p. 798 (1788).

La petite Alouette ^ tete rousse, Levaillant, Ois. d'Afr. iv, p. 137, pi.

199 (1805).
Megalophonus cinereus. Gray, Gen. B. ii, p. 382 (1844) ; Layard, B. S.

Afr. p. 212 (1867) ; Ayres, Ibis, 1869, p. 295, 1878, p. 410 ; Gurney

in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 197 (1872) ; Holub and Pelzeln,

Orn. Siidafr. p. 136 (1882).
Tephrocorys cinerea, Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1874, p. 633 ; id. ed. Layard' s B.

S. Afr. pp. 511, 851 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 561 (1890) ; Shelley,

B. Afr. i, p. 14 (1896).

" Inkelde Leeuwerk " of the Dutch.

Tephrocorys cinerea.

Description. Adult male in winter. — Above, ash-colour mottled
with dark brown ; crown bright chestnut-red, the nape paler than
the back ; wing-coverts brown edged with fawn-colour ; quills dark-
brown edged with reddish-brown, the outer with buff; tail-feathers
dark brown, the outer web of the outermost and the edge of the
next white ; some feathers of forehead, a distinct eyebrow, lores,
feathers below eye and cheeks white ; ear-coverts reddish ; sides of
neck grey ; under surface of body white, the centre of breast and
sides tinged with fulvous, a patch of chestnut-red on each side of
breast ; edge of wing whitish ; under wing-coverts grey.

ALAUDID^ TEPHROCORYS 223

Iris hazel ; bill black, the base brown ; feet dark brown.

Length 6*25 ; wing 3-60 ; tail 2-50 ; tarsus 0*85 ; culmen 0-55.

Adtolt female. — Eesembles the male but is smaller.

Length 6-10 ; wing 3'35 ; tail 2-35.

Adult male m summer. — Much redder and brighter than in
winter, the crown a brighter chestnut ; the crop tinged with reddish,
the sides of the breast and body more extensively chestnut-red.

Young. — Above blackish-brown, the end of each feather tipped
with pale buff ; nape grey mottled with brown ; below, whitish, the
breast and sides mottled with brown and rufous ; wing-quills brown
edged with rufous, the outer primary and inner secondaries with
whitish.

Distribution, — Confined to South Africa : commonly, but at the
same time locally distributed over Cape Colony, Natal, the Orange
Free State and the Transvaal, ranging into Bechuana, Great
Namaqua and Southern Damara Land. Very abundant in Upper
Natal and the South Transvaal.

Habits. — During autumn and winter these Larks congregate in
flocks of considerable size, in localities that are fairly open and
free from bush, to feed on the ground on small seeds and insects.
They run with speed, and owing to the manner in which their
plumage assimilates to the colour of the soil are not easily
detected on the ground. When feeding they constantly utter a
low chirping note, invariably so as they take flight. Towards the
end of August, in Cape Colony, the flocks break up and the birds
pair and soon after commence to build their nests, sometimes in a
natural hollow of the ground or the footprint of some animal, more
often in a cavity scratched by the female on the sheltered side of a
tuft of grass. The nest is cup-shaped, constructed of dry grass
lined with finer grass, with occasionally a few hairs, rootlets and
feathers added. Usually three, but sometimes only two eggs are
laid, of a pale cream-colour marked all over, but more thickly in a
zone, v^ith spots and mottlings of purplish and umber-brown and
grey. They average 0-78 x 0-62.

127. Tephrocorys spleniata. Damara Bed-capped Lark.

Alauda spleniata, Strickland, Contrib. Orn. 1852, p. 152.
Megalophonus cinereus {nee Gmelin) Gurneij in Andersson's B.

Damara Land, p. 197, pt. (1872).
Tephrocorys spleniata, Sharjje, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 51 (1884) ;

id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 563 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 14 (1896).

A-/

224 ALAUDID^ TEPHROCOEYS

Description, Adult m luinter, — (From Cat. B. Museum).
Similar to the winter plumage of T. cinerea, but very much paler
everywhere, the rufous of the crown, the rump, wing-coverts and
sides of chest being of a light cinnamon instead of deep ferruginous
or chestnut.

Bill yellowish-brown; legs and toes brown (Andersson).

Length 5-80; wing 3-60; tail 2-10 ; tarsus 080 ; culmen 0-55.

Distribution. — Northern Damaraland and Beuguela.

Habits. — Like those of T. cinerea.

128. Tephrocorys anderssoni. Anderssori's Lark.

Megalophomis anderssoni, Tristram, Ibis, 1869, p. 434 ; 1870, p. 444 ;

Gurney, in Andersson' s B. Damara Land, p. 198 (1872).
Tephrocorys anderssoni, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 564 (1890) ; Shelley,

B. Afr. i, p. 14 (1896).

Description. Adult. — Like T. cinerea, but the sides of the breast
and body, as well as the thighs and under tail-coverts, are bright
rufous, and the outer web of the external tail-feather is buff-
coloured.

Length 5*65 ; wing 3*50 ; tail 2-10 ; tarsus 0*80 ; culmen 0*55.

Distribution. — Damaraland, in the neighbourhood of Otjim-
binque ; " type " March 18, 1865 (C. J. Andersson).

Habits, — Canon Tristram makes the following remarks on this
species in the " Ibis " .for 1869, page 435 ; " Megalophoyius anders-
soni is nearly allied to M. cinereus in colouration, but differs in its
proportions, and bears a relation to it similar to that which M.
africanoides does to M. africanus and M. chenianus to M. sabota.
The rufous colour, however, is continuous, and not interrupted as in
M. cinereus, and the spots of brown-black on each side of the neck
are very distinct."

"Mr. Andersson forwarded the nest and eggs along with the
skin. The eggs are very sparsely spotted, for a Lark's, with russet
on a greenish- white ground, and are smaller than those of any
other South African Lark. In their pale and sparse colouration
they resemble the eggs of Certliilauda africana."

This Lark is closely allied to T. ruficeps of Abyssinia and North-
east Africa.

ALAUDID^ OTOCORYS 225

Genus VIII. OTOCORYS.

Type.
Otocoris, Bonaparte, NuoviAnn. Sci. Nat. Bologna II. ^

p. 407 (1838) 0. alpestris.

Bill moderately short, nearly conical, the upper mandible
slightly arched and without a notch ; gape straight ; nostrils oval,
basal, concealed by stiff feathers directed forwards ; wings long,
pointed, the outer quill obsolete, the second or third longest ; tail
rather long and slightly emarginate ; tarsus and toes rather short ;
front claws slightly curved, the hind claw long, about as long as
its toe, and nearly straight. Plumage : the adult male with an
erectile tuft of narrow elongated feathers on each side of the head
above the eye.

Otocorys alpestris.

The Horned Larks number about six species and twice as many
sub-species and races. One species, Otocorys alpestris, the Shore
Lark, inhabits the Arctic regions of both continents ; the remaining
species and sub-species are found on high plateaux or mountain
ranges in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America. A
single specimen of a previously unknown species, supposed to have
been received from South Africa, is in the museum at Frankfurt-am-
Main and has been named 0. berlepschi by Herr Hartert.

The Horned Larks frequent open country, run much on the
ground, feed on seeds and insects, and build open cup-shaped
nests of grass on the ground, in which they lay four or five greyish
15

226 ALAUDID^ HETEROCORYS

eggs spotted with brown and dark grey. The cocks, as a rule have
a lively song and mellow call-note. They frequently sing on the
wing.

jUCfi 129. Otocorys iberlepschi. South African Horned Larh.

Otocorys berlepschi, Hartert, J. f. 0. 1890, p. 103 ; Hartert, Ibis, 1892,
p. 623, pi. xiii. ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 14 (1896).

Description.— {Rd^YtQxt, " Ibis," 1892.) Top and sides of the
head, chin, throat and upper breast black, with a faint purplish
gloss ; ear-coverts tipped with pale brown ; occiput, hind neck,
interscapular region, smaller upper wing-coverts and tail-coverts
bright vinaceous cinnamon ; outer and inner webs of all the
quills brown, faintly margined and tipped with brownish grey ;
tail dark brown, central pair and outer webs of lateral rectrices
paler brown ; lower part bright vinaceous cinnamon, spotted with
brown on the breast and whitish along the middle of the abdomen.

Total length about 6*5 inches ; wing 4*15; tail 2-8; tarsus 0*8 ;
culmen 0*46.

Distrihutioyi. — The specimen described above, the only one
- known, was found by Herr Ernst Hartert in the Senckenberg
Museum at Frankfurt -am -Main. " A slip of paper was attached to
the stand of the specimen with the words ' Alauda ? — Caffraria.'
This is a somewhat uncertain locality, but I think that it is most
probable that the bird came from the interior of South Africa."
—(Hartert in '' Ibis," 1892.)

Genus IX. HETEROCORYS.

Type.
Heterocorys, Sharpe, P. Z.S. 1874, p. 625 H. breviunguis.

Of the general appearance of Certhilauda, and with a similar
nostril, but resembhng Ammomanes in its long tarsus and in the
proportions of its bill ; the hind claw very much curved, and shorter
than the hind toe. This genus contains a single species with a
range confined to South Africa.

ALAUDIDiE

HETEROCORYS

227

^''2.

130. Heterocorys breviunguis. Short-clawed Lark.

Alauda breviunguis, Sund. ^fv. K. Vet.-Ak. Fork. Stock. 1850, p. 99.
Heterocorys breviunguis, Sharjje, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 503 (1884) ;

id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 524 (1890) ; id. P. Z. S. 1874, p. 626, pi. 76,

fig. 1 ; Shelleij, B. Afr., i, p. 14 (1896).

Heterocorys hreviunguh

Description. Adult male, — Above, reddish-brown witJi broad
streaks of black, the head slightly crested ; wing-quills brown edged
with reddish-brown ; rump and upper tail-coverts more narrowly
streaked than the back ; tail-feathers brown edged with pale
reddish-brown ; lores and a wide eyebrow, sides of face, cheeks,
and throat buffish-white ; ear-coverts brown ; the cheeks slightly
spotted with brown ; under surface whitish tinged with tawny on
the breast and sides ; the chest and sides of neck streaked with dark
brown ; under wing-coverts buff, the outer spotted with brown.

Iris brown ; bill horn-colour ; feet pale brown.

Length 7*00 ; wing 4-00 ; tail 3-10 ; tarsus I'lO ; culmen 0-80.

Distribution. — Northern Cape Colony and the Transvaal.

Habits. — Of the habits of this Lark nothing has been recorded.
Sir Andrew Smith procured two examples in South Africa, and
Professor Wahlberg obtained others in the Transvaal. Since then
no naturalist appears to have met with it.

228 ALAUDID^ AL^MON

Genus X. ALiEMON.

Type.
Alsemon, Keyserling and Blasitis, Wirbelth Eur., p. 36

(1840) A. alaudipes.

Bill elongated, curved, tapering, moderately strong ; nostrils oval,
placed in tjie anterior portion of the nasal membrane ; wings long,
the first quill not much longer than the coverts, the second shorter
than the sixth, the third and fourth about equal and longest ; tail
moderately long, nearly even ; tarsi long, rather slender ; toes rather
short, claws short and curved, the hind claw longer but curved.

The four species included in the genus AlcEmon are natives of
Africa. Two occur in South Africa.

The Curved or Long-billed Larks are inhabitants of open plains,
barren karroos, and deserts ; the South African species of grass-
lands and rocky hill-sides as well. These Larks seek for their food,
consisting of insects and small seeds, on the ground. They run
with extreme rapidity, and only occasionally perch on bushes.
Their nests are cup-shaped, built on the ground in a slight depres-
sion of dry grass and occasionally a few hairs. Their eggs, from
two to four in number, are whitish rather thinly spotted, and some-
times zoned, with purplish brown of two shades.

Key to the Species.

a. Larger; wing 3-70 to 4*40; culmen 0*75 to

0-95 ; breast thinly marked with small spots A. semitorquata, p. 228.

b. Smaller ; wing 3'30 to 3-60 ; cuhnen 0*65 to

0*75; breast marked with larger spots A. nivosa, p. 230.

76/ y- 131. Alaemon. semitorquata. ,Qrey -collared Lark. ^ A^/

Certhilauda semitorquata, Smith, Bep. Exp. Centr. Afr. 1836, p. 47 ;

id. III. Zool. S. Afr. pi. 106, fig. 2 (1846) ; Lmjard, B. S. Afr. p. 216

(1867) ; Giirney in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 201 (1872).
Certhilauda subcoronata, S7nith, III. Zool. S. Afr. pi. 90, fig. 2 (1843) ;

Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 217 (1867).
Certliilauda coronata, Layard, Ibis, 1869, p. 371.
Alsemon semitorquata, Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1874, p. 620 ; id. ed. Layard' s

B. S. Afr. p. 469 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiu, p. 521 (1890) ; Shelley, B.

Afr. i, p. 14 (1896).

Description. Adult male in summer. — Above, bright brown
streaked with black, darker on the crown, the hind neck with a
tinge of grey ; least wing-coverts more distinctly streaked ; greater

ALAUDID.5C AL^MON 229

coverts with brown bases and rufous margins, quills ash-brown
edged with rufous ; tail-feathers brown edged with rufous ; eyebrow
and lores buff ; ear-coverts rufous ; cheeks and throat white with a
few specks of black ; rest of under surface white tinged with fulvous,
the breast, sides and flanks streaked with black ; under tail-coverts
rufous streaked with dark brown ; under wing-coverts isabelline-
white.

Iris brown ; bill yellowish ; feet flesh-coloured.

Length 8*00 ; wing 4-10 ; tail 3-60 ; tarsus 1-15 ; culmen 0-90.

AlcBmon semitorquata.

Adult 7nale in winter, — Above, pale sandy-brown, the feathers
edged with fulvous, the crown and upper back striped with black ;
hind-neck grey ; lower back and rump unstreaked ; wing-coverts
and quills brown with lighter edges ; ear-coverts sandy-brown ;
cheeks and throat white, unspotted ; under surface white, the breast
with a few triangular black spots.

Adult female. — Eesembles the adult male in plumage, but is
smaller, and has a much smaller bill.

Length 7*50 ; wing 3-75 ; tail 3*00 ; tarsus 1-05 ; culmen 0-75.

Distribution. — South Africa : Eastern and Northern Cape Colony
to the Transvaal on the east, and through Great Namaqua and
Damara Lands to Benguela on the west. In Cape Colony this

iH

230 ALAUDID^ ALiEMON

Lark is not very^common near Grahamstown, but is more numerous,
and resident, in the neighbourhoods of Colesberg and Hopetown,
and thence throughout the valley of the Orange Eiver. It is
common in Little and Great Namaqua Land.

Habits. — This Lark frequents from choice somewhat arid plains,
as well as stony hillsides and mountain tops. I have never met
with more than a pair together. It runs much on the ground and
with considerable speed, often stopping to crouch as if to avoid
observation ; when it does so it is by no means easily detected, so
closely does its plumage harmonise with the colours of the ground.
Its flight is undulating and seldom prolonged for any great distance.
These Larks feed much on insects and especially upon beetles, but
occasionally upon small grass and other seeds ; their ordinary call-
note is a clear and prolonged whistle, they also indulge occasionally
in a short but cheerful song. Towards the end of August or
beginning of September they proceed to nest. A slight cavity
scratched in the ground under cover of a tuft of grass is lined with
fine dry grass, and in it three eggs are laid about the end of
September. These are cream-coloured, spotted all over, but more
thickly in a ring round the widest part of the Qgg, with reddish and
purplish-brown. They average 0*90 x 0'65.

132. Alsemon nivosa. Karroo Lark.

Certhilauda nivosa, Swains., B. W. Afr.i, p. 213 (1837).

Alauda codea, Smith, III. Zool. S. Afr. Aves, pi. 87, fig. 1 {ivinter

plumage) (1843) ; Laijard, B. S. Afr. p. 209 (1867).
Alauda lagepa, Smith III. Zool. S. Afr. Aves, pi. 87, fig. 2 (1843)

{su7)ivier p lumage) .
Megalophonus guttatus, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 215 (1867).
Megalophonus lagepa, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 214 (1867) ; Gurney in

Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 200 (1872).
Alaemon nivosa, Sharjpe, P. Z. S. 1874, p. 623; id. ed. Layard' s

B. S. Afr. p. 501 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 522 (1890) ; Shelley,

£. ^/V. i, p. 14 (1896).

Description. Adult m summer. — Above, cinnamon-brown
streaked with black, the rump unstreaked ; wings dark brown, the
eathers edged with cinnamon ; upper tail-coverts rufous streaked
with black ; tail-feathers dark brown edged with paler brown, the
two centre feathers broadly ; the two outer feathers narrowly edged
with rufous ; eyebrow and lores buff ; in front of eye a dusky spot,

ALAUDID^

AL^MON 231

below the eye a streak of buff ; ear-coverts cinnamon ; cheeks and
throat white with a few black spots ; under surface buff- white, the
sides tinged with rufous, the lower throat and breast thickly spotted
with dark brown, the sides and flanks streaked ; thighs rufous ;
under tail-coverts mixed white and rufous ; under wing-coverts and
under surface of quills ash-brown.

Iris hazel ; bill light brown ; feet yellowish-brown.

Length 7-20; wing 3-65; tail 3-80 ; tarsus 1-05 ; culmen 0-70.

Adult in winter. — Above, grey streaked with dusky ; wing-
coverts dark brown margined with whitish ; quills dark brown
edged with whitish ; rump unstreaked ; upper tail-coverts streaked
with dark brown ; tail dark brown, the two centre and the outer-
most feathers margined with brownish-white ; eyebrow and streak
below the eye white ; in front of eye black ; ear-coverts grey ; fore
parts of cheeks and throat white, with a line of black spots on
each side; sides of neck and under surface of body white, the
lower throat and chest spotted, the sides, flanks, and under tail-
coverts streaked with blackish ; the sides and thighs grey ; under
surface of wing ash-brown ; bill and feet brownish-orange.

Adult female. — Resembles the male but is slightly smaller.

Young. — Resemble the adults in winter plumage, but are of a
more sandy-brown with the feathers of the upper surface edged
and tipped with white ; below, dull white mottled with brown.

Distribution. — South Africa : in Cape Colony from Cape Town
to the Orange River. Abundant in the Karroo and in Little
Namaqua Land, but, according to Andersson, does not range to
the north of the Orange River.

Habits. — Sir Andrew Smith, misled by the very distinct summer
and winter plumage of this Lark, described it as two distinct
species. He writes under the heading Alauda codea : ** The
specimens I observed were in localities thinly furnished with low
brushwood, and they rarely failed, when they were disturbed in
these situations, to fly to a distance and then perch upon the
summit of some dwarf shrub, from whence they might ensure a
view of any person who might follow them."

Under the heading Alauda lagepa he remarks : " This species
is thinly distributed between the Berg and Orange Rivers, close
to the western coast, and specimens are usually found on sandy
or Karroo plains, which are sparingly covered with brushwood.
It whistles occasionally in the mornings, soars like a true Lark,
and on descending from its aereal flights commonly perches on

232 ALAUDID^ CERTHILAUDA

the shrub nearest to the point where it descends. It consumes
as food seeds and small insects."

Layard writes : " We found it plentiful at Nel's Poort, in the
Karroo ; it first appeared in the neighbourhood of Beaufort. A
single nest fell under our observation in December. The eggs,
four in number and of a mottled brown, were deposited in a
cup-shaped nest, on the side of a low bush, at the edge of a foot
path. When we approached it the bird crept away to a little
distance, then rose, flew a few yards, and perched on an ant-heap
to watch us."

Genus XI. CERTHILAUDA.

Type.
Gerthilauda, Swainson, Zool. Journ. iii, p. 344 (1827)... C. capensis.

Bill lengthened, slender, both mandibles equally curved, the
culmen equal to or longer than the middle toe and claw ; the
nostrils basal, lateral, rounded and partly shut in by a membrane.
Wings long, the outer quills short, equal to or slightly longer than
the tarsus, the third, fourth and fifth nearly equal and longest.
Tail moderately long, even. Tarsus slender, much longer than the
middle toe ; toes moderately long, the inner and outer equal, the
middle-toe rather longer and slender, the hind-toe shorter ; front
claws moderately curved, hind-claw long, as long as its toe, and
straight. The Long-billed Larks, two species in all, are confined
to South Africa. They resemble members of the preceding genus
Alcemon in their long and curved bill, but differ in having the hind-
claw almost perfectly straight instead of curved.

The CerthilaudcB inhabit stony or sandy plains and deserts,
but also grass-lands. They run with facility on the ground but
sometimes perch on bushes. They feed chiefly on insects, occa-
sionally on small seeds, build cup- shaped and rather flimsy nests
in hollows of the ground and lay four or five whitish eggs, sparingly
spotted and freckled with two or three shades of purplish-grey
and brown.

Key to the Species.

a. Ends of tail-feathers unspotted C. capensis, p. 233.

h. Ends of tail-feathers spotted with white C. rufula, p. 234.

ALA.UDID^

CKRTHILAUDA

233

7V

133. Certhilauda capensis. Ca;pe Long-billed Lark.

Alauda capensis, Bodd. Tab!. PI. Enl. p. 45 (1783).

Alauda africana, Gm. Syst. Nat. i, p. 798 (1788).

L'Alouette sirli, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. iv, pi. 192 (1805).

Certhilauda africana, Gray, Gen. B. ii, p. 883 (1844) ; Smith, III. Zool.

S. Afr. Aves, pi. 90. fig. 1 (1849) ; Layard, B, S. Afr. p. 217 (1867).
Certhilauda capensis. Gray, Handb. B. ii, p. 120 (1870) ; Sharjpe,

P. Z. S. 1874, p. 615; id. ed. Layard's B. 8. Afr. p. 494 (1884) ; id.

Cat B. M. xiii, p. 514 (1890) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 13 (1896).

Certhilauda capensis.

Descriptio7i. Adult male.— Above, brown streaked with darker
brown, many feathers with white tips ; back of neck tinged with
grey ; wing-coverts dark brown tipped with white ; quills ^ brown
edged with buff, the inner secondaries with white ; rump and upper
tail-coverts reddish-grey streaked with brown ; tail-feathers dark
brown edged with fulvous, the outer edged and tipped with buff;
crown like the back ; eyebrow white ; in front of eye dusky, below
grey ; ear-coverts brownish ; cheeks white spotted with black ; chin
white ; rest of under surface pale buff, the lower throat and chest
marked with triangular spots of black ; under tail-coverts white
streaked with black ; axillaries and under wing-coverts buff; edge
of wing mottled brown and buff.

;-

J

234 ALAUDID^ CERTHILAUDA

Iris dark brown ; bill brown ; legs and feet yellowish.

Length 7-50 ; wing 3-90 ; tail 3-10 ; tarsus 1-12 ; culmen 1-00.

Adult female. — Eesembles the male in plumage.

Distribution. — The greater part of Cape Colony and Natal.
Common on the Cape Flats and in the Western districts of Cape
Colony becoming rarer in Eastern Cape Colony and Natal.

Habits. — This species is almost invariably met with in pairs,
never, so far as my observations go, in flocks. It frequents both
sandy flats overgrown with brushwood and grassy plains and
hilltops, and, although it spends most of its time in running along
the ground, it not unfrequently perches on the tops of bushes,
failing these, on ant-hills or hillocks. It feeds both on insects
and small seeds. Its note is a loud, prolonged, and clear whistle.

In the neighbourhood of Cape Town these Larks breed during
the months of September and October. A cup-shaped nest of dry
grass, lined with finer grass and hairs, is constructed in a hollow
scratched by the bird at the side of a stone or tuft of grass, some-
times under the edge of a low bush ; in this three eggs are deposited.
These vary a good deal in colour, but are usually pale bluish-white
or dull white, more or less mottled and freckled with various shades
of reddish and purplish-brown. They measure 0*90 x 0*67.

^^//O/acTTyviJvrxuC^ cU^^^-^'^J^^'^Ca'^JU^ A/^^-<^"^^^^^K^-^^
'73'7 134. Certhilauda rufula. Bufous Long -billed Lark.

Anthus rufulus, Vieill. N. Diet d'Hist. Nat. /xvi, p. 494 (1818).

Certhilauda garrula, Smith, III. Zool. S. Afr., Aves, pi. 106, fig. 1
(1846) ; Lmjard, B. S. Afr. p. 216 (1867) ; Ayres, Ibis, 1869, p. 295,
1871, p. 268 ; Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1874, p. 618 ; id. ed. Layard's B. S.
Afr., p. 498 (1884).

Certhilauda rufula, Sharpe, Cat. Afr. B. p. 71 (1871) ; Gurney in
Andersson's B. Dajnara Land, p. 201 (1872) ; Sharpe, P. Z. S.,
1874, p. 618 ; id. ed. Layard's B. 8. Afr. p. 496 (1884) ; Ayres, Ibis,
1880, p. 264 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 515 (1890) ; Shelley, B.
Afr. i, p. 13 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above, bright rufous streaked in-
distinctly with brown, many feathers edged with buff; wing-coverts
brown edged with white ; quills brownish, the secondaries with
rufous margins, the primaries with white tips; rump and upper
tail-coverts rufous ; tail black, rufous towards the base, the two
centre feathers rufous with brown centres and not spotted, the
remaining feathers with a white spot at the end, the outermost

MOTACILLID^i: 235

edged with white externally ; lores, eyebrow, and cheeks, buff ; the
cheeks spotted ; throat white ; under surface rufous, the breast
with small brown spots ; under wing-coverts rufous.

Iris dark hazel ; bill dusky ; legs and feet pale brown.

Length 6-10 ; wing 3-70 ; tail 2-60 ; tarsus 1-15 ; culmen 0-85.

Adult female. — Similar to the male in colour but smaller and
with a smaller bill.

Length 5-55; wing 3-50; tail 2-15 ; tarsus 1-10 ; culmen 0-75.

Young. — The feathers of the upper surface spotted at the ends
with white preceded by black ; hind neck fulvous ; wing-coverts
margined with w^hite ; lores, small eyebrow and throat white ;
under surface of body pale rufous, the breast slightly spotted with
brown.

Distribution. — Northern and Eastern Cape Colony ; Great
Namaqua Land ; Natal, the Transvaal, the Orange Free State and
Griqualand West, ranging into Southern Bechuanaland.

Habits. — Like the other long-billed Larks this species keeps
much to the ground in rather open and stony localities. Here it
runs with great swiftness and endeavours to escape detection by
suddenly stopping and crouching on the ground in spots that
assimilate in colour with its plumage, and this manoeuvre is fre-
quently successful. The flight of this Lark is undulating ; its note
is a loud and prolonged whistle. It feeds on a great variety of
small insects and also on grass and other seeds picked up on the
ground.

Mr. T. Ayres found this species breeding in the Transvaal ; the
nest " was placed under a tuft of grass, and was composed of rough
grass outwardly, lined with roots of fine grass, and partially arched
over with the rough grass of which the outer portion of the nest
was constructed. It contained two eggs, one of which was larger
than the other ; and although I left the nest for two days after
finding it, no other eggs were laid."

Family YII. MOTACILLTDJG.

This family includes the Long-claws, Pipits and Wagtails, birds
which differ from one another considerably in plumage and style of
colouration but which are structurally alike.

The bill is long and slender, the edges of both mandibles smooth
with the exception of a notch near the tip of the upper ; rictal

236 MOTACILLID^ MACEONYX

bristles moderately developed. Tarsus scutellated anteriorly, each
side covered by an entire plate, the two forming a sharp ridge where
they meet posteriorly. Wing with nine developed primaries, the
first or outer being abortive, the second, third and fourth (the
abortive outer being reckoned as the first) about equal and longest ;
the inner secondaries about as long as the primaries. Tail very
variable in length, of twelve feathers. Sexes alike or not differing
much in colour ; the young nearly resembling the adults. Two
moults in the year, one complete, one partial, or, in some instances,
two complete moults. The Longclaws {Macronyx) are confined to
Africa, but the Pipits (Anthics) and Wagtails [Motacilla) are dis-
tributed over the greater part of the globe, being most abundant in
Europe, Asia and Africa. Many of the species are migratory.
About seventy species are included in the family, of these nineteen
occur in South Africa, five being annual migrants from Europe or
Western Asia and the remaining fourteen resident.

All the species of MotacillidcB are chiefly insectivorous as regards
their food, and the majority search for it on the ground, the
Wagtails preferring the neighbourhood of water for this purpose.
Many are fairly good songsters, but they differ widely in this
respect. All lay spotted eggs in open nests usually built on the
ground, occasionally in holes in banks or rocks or under stones.

'■ Key to the Genera,

a. Plumage more or less mottled.

o}. Outstretched feet reaching beyond the end

of tail ilfacron?/a7, p. 236.

h^. Outstretched feet not reaching the end of tail Antlius, p. 242,
h. Plumage plain and unmottled Motacilla, p. 253.

Genus I. MACRONYX.

Type.
Macronyx, Stvains. Zool. Jour, iii, p. 344 (1817) M. capensis.

Bill moderate, straight ; the culmen slightly arched and equal
in length to the hind toe. Nostrils naked, large, the aperture
oblong. Eictal bristles well developed, reaching beyond the
nostrils. Wings rather short, the four first quills equal and
longest. Tail rather short and slightly rounded. Tarsus long
and strong. Feet very large, the hind toe with its claw exceeding

MOTACILLID^F.

MACRONYX

237

the tarsus in length; the outstretched feet reaching beyond the
end of tail. The hind claw very long and slightly curved, usually
exceeding its toe in length. Plumage : below, orange, lemon-
yellow or pink with a black gorget ; above, brown streaked with
darker brown or dusky Sexes alike.

This genus contains four African species. In their habits
they resemble the true Pipits and Larks. They spend most
of their time on the ground, searching for insects and small
seeds, but if alarmed usually perch on bushes. They build cup-

Macronyx croceus.

shaped nests of dry grass on the ground, and lay from three
to five large speckled eggs which resemble in colour those of the
Pipits. In his " Dictionary of Birds," Professor Newton has
drawn attention to the curious resemblance in colour between the
species of this genus and those of the genus Sturnella, a group of
American birds belonging to the very distinct family of the Icteridce.
Although placed in distinct families by systematists, the species of
the two genera resemble one another in their general habits, and
both are popularly known as *' Larks" in their respective habitats.

70

238 MOTACILLID^ MACRONYX

Key to the Species.

a. Throat bright orange-red, contrasting with the orange-

yellow of the breast and abdomen M. capeiisis, p. 2

b. Throat bright yellow, similar to the breast and abdomen M. croceus, p. 239.

c. Throat and centre of breast and abdomen bright pink... M. amelice, p. 240.

135. Macronyx capensis. Orange-throated Long-claw,

Alauda capensis, Linn, Syst. Nat. i, p. 288 (1766).

L'Alouette Sentinelle, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. iv, p. 132, pi. 195 (1805).

Anthus capensis. Gray, Gen. B. i, p. 206 (1847) ; Layard, B. S. Afr.
p. 121 (1867). ^

Macronyx capensis, BjJ. Cons]). i, p. 247 (1850) ; Holuh and Pelzeln,
Orn. Sudafr. p. 86 (1882) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. p. 530
(1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. x, p. 623 (1885) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 13 (1896).

"Kalkoentje" (Little Turkey) of the Dutch.

" Cape Lark " and " Cut-throat Lark " of the English.

Description. Adult male in summer. — Above, brown, the feathers
centred with darker brown ; wing-coverts and quills dark brown
edged with paler brown, the least-coverts with orange, the primaries
with yellow, the outer web of outer primary white ; tail-feathers
brown, all but the two centre ones tipped with white, the outer
feathers most strongly, the outer web of the outermost white ; crown
like the back ; eyebrow orange ; lores and eye-ring yellow ; ear-
coverts brown ; throat bright orange-red contrasting with the orange-
yellow of the breast and abdomen ; sides, flanks and thighs shaded
with greyish-brown : under tail-coverts buff-yellow ; a black band
separates the throat from the chest and extends on each side across
the neck to the base of the bill ; axillaries and under wing-coverts
orange.

Iris brown ; bill dark brown ; legs and feet pale brown.

Length 8-00; wing 3-85 ; tail 3-30 ; tarsus 1-30 ; culmen 0-65.

Adult female. — Slightly smaller and with a narrower black
throat-band.

In winter both sexes are darker and more distinctly mottled.

Young. — Darker than the adults ; the throat dull yellowish and
the black throat-band represented by a few black spots.

Distribution. — Over the greater portion of Cape Colony, the
higher ** veldt region " of Natal, the Orange Free State, and the
Transvaal, ranging into Matabili and Mashonaland. Bare in the
Karroo.

MOTACILLIDiE MACBONYX 239

Habits. — The well known '* Cut-throat Lark " is, in the Colony,
found most abundantly on grassy plains that are dotted over with
clumps of bushes or low trees, for notwithstanding their long hind-
claws, these Pipits usually seek refuge on the tops of trees or bushes
when alarmed. They fly rather slowly but with rapid beats of
their wings, uttering as they go what Layard aptly calls a " mew-
ing " note that reminds one of the cry of a kitten. During the
breeding season the males sing a few bars in a curiously hurried
manner as they hover over their sitting mates. These Pipits
appear to remain in^airs all the year round and never to congregate
in flocks although for a few weeks in autumn the newly flown
young remain with their parents. They feed principally on insects,
such as small beetles, grasshoppers, termites, and various larvae ;
occasionally they take a few grass- and other small seeds. The
nest is artfully concealed in a hollow under the grass, and is a
cup-shaped structure built of dry grass and root fibres. The eggs,
laid in October or November, are from three to five in number,
cream-coloured, closely spotted and speckled with various shades
of brown and purple. They average 1-05 x 0*77.

y/^

136. Macronyx croceus. Yelloiu -throated Long-claw.

Alauda crocea, Vieill. N. Diet, i, p. 365 (1816).

Macronyx flavigaster, Swains. B. W. Afr. i. p. 215 (1837) ; Jard. and

Selbij, III. Orn., new series, i, pi. 22 (1838).
Antlius flavigaster, Gray, Gen. B. i, p. 206 (1848) ; Layard, B. S. Afr.

p. 121 (1867).
Macronyx croceus, Hartl. Beitr. Orn. W.-Afr. p. 23 (1844) ; Sliarpe,

Cat. B. M. X, p. 626 (1885) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 13 (1896).
Macronyx striolatus, Heugl. Jour. f. Orn. 1863, p. 164 ; Shar^e, ed.

Layard' s B. S. Afr. p. 532 (1884);

" Cut-throat Lark" of Natal Colonists.
"Kalkoentje" (Little Turkey) of the Dutch.

Description. Adult male in summer. — Above, pale brown, the
feathers centred with black ; wing-coverts like the back ; quills
dark brown, the primaries edged externally with yellow, the sec-
ondaries with light fulvous ; tail-feathers blackish-brown, all but
the two centre ones tipped with white the amount of which
increases towards the outermost which has the outer web entirely
white ; crown like the back ; eyebrow yellow ; ear-coverts brown ;
cheeks, throat, breast and abdomen lemon-yellow, the throat

in

240 MOTACILLID^ . MACRONYX

divided from the breast by a black gorget, which extends up the
sides of the neck to terminate on each side below the eye ; sides of
breast and flanks tinged and streaked with brown ; edge of wing
bright yellow ; axillaries, under wing-coverts, thighs and under
tail-coverts yellow.

Iris reddish-brown ; bill dark brown ; legs and feet pale brown.

Length 8'50 ; wing 3-85 ; tail 3-25 ; tarsus 1-40 ; culmeu 0-75.

In winter the plumage is darker and more mottled above.

Adult female. — Kesemble the male in plumage but is slightly
smaller.

DistribtUion. — This species of Long-claw ranges over the greater
part of Africa to the south of the Sahara and extends as far south
as Natal, but is rarely found in Caps Colony. It is the com-
monest Long-claw in the lower parts of Natal, Zululand and the
Transvaal, but on the " high veldt " its place is taken by M.
capensis. At Pinetown, in Natal, both species occur, but the pre-
sent species is by far the commoner, as it also is, according to Mr.
F. A. Barratt, from Bloemfontein to Pretoria and thence to Eusten-
berg. It was not noticed by Andersson in Great Namaqua or
Damara Land but has been collected by Anchieta in Mossamedes
and Angola.

Habits, — This Long-claw does not appear to differ in any of its
habits from M. cajpejisis, and in localities where the two species
occur together I have in vain tried to detect any peculiarity, apart
from colour, by which they might be distinguished. Their call-
notes are, to my ear, exactly the same, and their eggs are exactly
similar.

. 137. Macronyx amelise. Pink-throated Long-claw.

Macronyx ameliae, De Tarragon, Rev. Zool. 1845, p. 452 ; Gray, Gen.

B. i, pi. 54 (1848) ; Holuh and Pelzeln, Orn. Sildafr. p. 87 (1882) ;

Sharjje, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 533 (1884) ; id. Cat B. M. x,

p. 628 (1885) ; SJielley, B. Afr. i, p. 13 (1896).
Antlius ameliae, Gray, Gen. B. i, p. 206 (1848) ; Layard, B. S. Afr.

p. 124 (1867).

Description. Adult male iri summer. — Above, buff-brown, the
feathers centred with black ; lesser wing-coverts dusky edged with
white ; rest of coverts dusky edged with buff; quills brownish-black
edged with buff ; tail-feathers brownish-black, except the outermost
which is white, all but the four centre ones tipped with white

M0TACILLID.1E MACRONYX 241

which increases in amount towards the outermost ; crown like
the back ; lores and eyebrow white ; ear-coverts buff-brown ; under
surface of body pink, tinged and streaked with brownish on the
sides, flanks, and under tail-coverts ; a black band originates on
each side below the ear-coverts, and crosses the sides of the neck
and upper chest ; edge of wing and under wing- coverts pink.

Iris brown ; upper mandible dark brown, the lower paler ; legs
and feet yellowish.

Length 7-60 ; wing 3-50 ; tail 3-25 ; tarsus 1-25 ; culmen 0-65.

Adult female. — Slightly smaller than the male but not differing
in colour.

Young. — The black pectoral band of the adults is represented
by a row of black spots on a band of buffish-brown.

Macromjx icintoni, Sharpe {** Ibis," 1891, pp. 444, 589), first
described from a specimen obtained at Kavirondo, in Central East
Africa, by Mr. F. J. Jackson ; and since procured by Mr. Boyd Alex-
ander on the Zambesi, and which was probably the bird obtained
by Dr. Bradshaw at Pandamatenka, is a small race of M. amelicB.

"Like M. amelice, but altogether smaller, the bill especially so."
(Sharpe).

Irides brown ; feet light brown.

Length 7-20 ; wing 3'55 ; tail 2-90 ; tarsus 1-20 ; culmen 0-50.

Distribution. — The larger race, M. amelice typicus, appears to be
confined to the coast of Natal, Zululand and the south of Portu-
guese East Africa, the smaller M. amelice wintoni to the interior
from Pandamatenka to Central East Africa.

Habits. — On the flat and swampy grass-lands bordering on the
coast of Natal this brilliantly coloured Pipit is by no means uncom-
mon and from its habit of perching on ant-heaps and other slightly
elevated spots where its bright pink throat and chest are easily
visible it is not readily overlooked. Like its congeners it has a
"mewing" call-note, usually uttered as it flies from one perch to
another ; in spring the male in addition has a short hurried song
uttered as he hovers for a few seconds in the air. This Pipit
feeds on grass- and other small seeds, to a larger extent on various
insects, small grasshoppers, young locusts, beetles and termites. A
nest, containing four eggs, found near Durban in November, was
built in a hollow at the foot of an ant-hill. It was deeply cup-
shaped, constructed of grass stems, lined with finer grass and a
few horsehairs. The eggs resemble those of M. capensis and M.
croceus in colour but are somewhat smaller, averaging 0*95 x 0-70.

242 MOTACILLID^ ANTHUS

Genus II. ANTHUS.

Type.
Anthus, Bechst. Nat. Deuts. iii, p. 704 (1807) A. trivialis.

Bill straight, slender, compressed towards the point, the culmen
swollen between the centre and tip ; nostrils basal, lateral, in a
short broad groove, and partly covered with membrane. Wing
with nine primaries. Tarsus elongated, scutellated anteriorly,
covered with two entire longitudinal plates posteriorly. Tail of
twelve feathers, emarginated and shorter than the wing. Plumage
above mottled. Sexes always alike. Young much spotted below,
more so than the adults. A complete autumn and partial spring
moult in some species, two complete annual moults in others.

Anthus arboreus.

About thirty species of Pipits have been described from all parts
of the globe. One half the number are found in Africa, and nine
species and subspecies occur to the south of the Zambesi and
Cunene Eivers, one being an annual migrant from Europe.

Pipits are birds of, usually, unassuming brown plumage, and
Lark-like demeanour and habits. The majority of the species
frequent the ground in search of insects and small seeds, some,

MOTACILLID^ ANTHUS 243

however, including the type of the genus, habitually perch on trees.
They have a chirping call-note, and some of them a fairly melodious
song. All build open cup-shaped nests on the ground and lay
spotted eggs that resemble, more or less, those of the Wagtails and
Larks.

From the Larks, which they superficially resemble in colour and
in many of their habits, the Pipits are distinguished by having the
posterior aspect of the tarsus covered by two complete longitudinal
plates, whereas in the former the tarsus is scutellated both anteriorly
and posteriorly.

Key to the Species {after Sharpe).

a. Hind claw shorter than the hind toe.

a\ Axillaries and under wing-coverts yellow-olive,
a*. The feathers of the wing-coverts and back
with dark centres.
a^. Smaller : wing 3*25 ; with a yellow patch

in the centre of breast A. clitoris, p. 243.

¥. Larger : wing 3"50 : without a yellow

patch on the breast A. lineiventi'is, i[f.2A5.

b-. The feathers of the wing-coverts and back

uniform and without dark centres A. crenatus, p. 245.

6'. Axillaries and under wing-coverts not yellow-
olive but pale tawny-buff or dusky-brown.

Breast and flanks streaked with black.

c^. Middle and greater wing-coverts tipped

with white A. triviaUs, p. 247.

d^. No white tips to wing-coverts A. brachyurus, p. 248.

d^. Flanks uniform, unstreaked.

e^. Feathers of wing-coverts and back with

dusky centres A, nichotsoni, ip. 249.

p. Feathers of wing-coverts and back uniform A.pyrrhonotus, p. 250.
b. Hind claw equal to or exceeding the hind-toe in
length.

Feathers of the upper surface clear brown,

with blackish centres A. rufulus, p. 251.

p. Feathers of the upper surface paler ash-
brown with darker centres A. bocagii, p. 252.

V

138. Anthus chloris Small Yellow-tufted Pipit.

Anthus chloris, Licht. Verz. Samml. Kafiernl. p. 13 (1842) ; Sharpe, ed.
Laya/rd's B. S. Aft. i, p. 541 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. x, p. 539 (1885) ;
Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 12 (1896).

244 MOTACILLIDJi ANTHUS

Anthus butleri, Shelley, P. Z. S., 1882, p. 336. pi. 18; Butler, Feilden
and Beid, Zoologist, 1882, p. 336.

Descrijptioji. Adult male. — Above, feathers of crown and upper
surface of body dark brown edged with buff; wings dark brown,
the outer primary edged with white, the other quills and coverts
with olive-yellow or buff; tail-feathers dark brown edged with buff,
the outermost with the outer web and tip white, the next tipped
with white ; lores, eyebrow and eye-riug white ; ear-coverts white
streaked with brown ; cheeks buff ; throat whitish ; breast huffish
at the sides, pale yellow in the centre, with narrow shaft-streaks of
brown ; sides of body buff streaked with dark brown ; abdomen
whitish ; under tail- coverts fulvous streaked with dark brown ;
edge of wing and axillaries pale olive-yellow; under wing-coverts
dark brown edged with white.

Iris brown ; bill pale brown ; legs and feet yellowish-brown.
Length 6-75 ; wing 3-25 ; tail 2-75 ; tarsus 095 ; culmen 0-60.
Adtdt female. — Eesembles the male in plumage.
Distribution. — From Eastern Cape Colony through the Orange
Free State and Upper Natal into Zululand and the South-eastern
Transvaal. Eesident throughout its range, and very common ou
the higher veldts of Natal and the Southern Transvaal.

Habits. — The following account of this Pipit is from an essay
on the Birds of Natal by Major Butler and Fielden and Capt. Eeid,
in the Zoologist for 1882, p. 336, under the heading A. butleri
(Shelley). "Fielden shot the first specimen on June 6, and Eeid
met with it at the Ingagane Eiver in July, and obtained three
specimens. Butler afterwards obtained a fine male, nearly in full
plumage on November 9, at Newcastle, where it was by no means
common. Those obtained at the Ingagane were very local, and
only to be found on one particular open flat near the main drift."
In their movements and flight they much resemble Wagtails.
Butler ** also notes that it is a bird of skulking habits, seeking con-
cealment in the grass much more than the other Pipits, especially
when pursued, lying close, and being consequently often difficult to
flush a second time."

I met with this Pipit in numbers on the veldt near Nottingham
Eoad, in Natal, in October and November, 1893. They were in
pairs but had apparently not commenced nesting. A male had
its stomach filled with the remains of mantides and small beetles.
At this season the cocks were frequently to be heard singing from
the tops of ant-hills, or occasionally as they flew from one resting

MOTACILLID^ AKTHUS 245

place to another. Their notes reminded me of those of the English
Meadow Pipit. They resemble the latter bird also in their habit
of creeping through the grass and running quickly across the more
open spaces. ,^ ^ ,.

^C/ 139. An thus lineiYentris. Stripe-hdlied Pipit.

Anthus lineiventris, Sundcv. CEfv. K. Vet-Ah. Forli. Stoclch. 1850,
p. 100 ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 540, 852 (1884) ;
id. Cat. B. M. x, p. 540 (1885) ; Shelleij, B. Afr. i, p. 12 (1896).

Description. AdtiU male. — Above, brown, the feathers edged
with paler brown ; crown pale brown, the feathers with dark brown
centres ; wings dark brown, the coverts tinged with olive-yellow and
edged with fulvous, the quills with olive-yellow ; tail-feathers dark
brown edged with lighter brown, the outer feather with a large
white patch on the inner web and at the base of outer web, the
next white at the tip of inner web, the third with a smaller white
spot ; feathers before eye dusky ; lores white ; eyebrow and ring
round eye yellowish ; ear-coverts brown, cheeks white spotted with
dark brown ; under surface dull white, the lower throat with
small triangular spots of blackish which become streaks on the
breast and sides ; thighs brown ; under tail- coverts white streaked
with brown ; axillaries and under wing-coverts olive-yellow.

Iris brown ; upper mandible blackish, the lower yellowish ; legs
and feet yellowish.

Length 7*45 ; wing 3*50 ; tail 2*90 ; tarsus I-IO ; culmen 0*65.

Adult female. — Eesembles the adult male in plumage.

Distrihbi^ion. — From Natal through the Transvaal and Bechuana-
land to Angola.

Habits. — Of this rare Pipit, Mr. T. Ayres writes in the *' Ibis " for

' 1880, p. 104, " Female, Eustenburg, July 29." " The stomach of

the specimen sent contained grasshoppers and other insects ; it is

a very uncommon species, frequenting rocky hill-sides, especially

where a strean^ issues from the rock."

C 140. Anthus crenatus. Larger Yellow-tufted Pipit.

Anthus crenatus, Finsch and Hartlauh, Vog. Ost-Afr. p. 275 (1870) ;

Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. 8. Afr. p. 543 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. x,

p. 541 (1885) ; Shelleij, B. Afr. i, p. 12 (1896).
Anthus lineiventris, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 123 (1867).

Description. Adult male. (Cape Flats, August 12, 1897). —
Crown and upper surface of body, as well as the wing, brown, the

246

MOTACILLID^

ANTHUS

feathers with paler edges, the wing-coverts, primaries and outer
secondaries edged with greenish-yellow ; tail-feathers dark brown
tinged with greenish-yellow towards the base, the outer feather
edged externally with fulvous and tipped with white, the next
tipped with white only; eye-ring, eyebrow, cheeks and throat
whitish ; a streak through the eye dusky ; ear-coverts rufous
streaked with white ; under surface of body fulvous, the chest and
sides narrowly streaked with rufous ; edge of wing and axillaries
olive-yellow ; under wing-coverts olive-brown.

^^^^

Anthns crenatus.

Iris hazel ; upper mandible brown, the lower yellowish ; legs
and feet flesh colour.

Length, in flesh, 7-20; of skin 6-80; wing 3-45; tail 2-60;
tarsus 1-00; culmen 0-68.

Distribution. — This rare Pipit was obtained by Layard near
Cape Town ; a second example was collected by Andersson in the
same neighbourhood, and a third, the one described, by myself on
the Cape Flats. Mr. T. C. Atmore shot a male at Burghersdorp

MOTACILLID^ ANTHUS 247

and a female at Colesberg. These are apparently the only examples
recorded.

Habits. — The male described attracted my attention by its song,
uttered whilst hovering in the air. Its stomach contained a spider,
three small grasshoppers and a few grass-seeds.

l^no 141. Anthus trivialis. ^Tree PipY.

Alauda trivialis, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 288 (1766).

Alauda arborea, Gm. Syst. Nat. i, p. 793 (1788).

Anthus arboreus, BecJist. Naturg. DeutscJil. iii, p. 706 (1806) ; Gray,

Gen. B. i, p. 206 (1848).
Anthus trivialis, Flemi7ig, Brit. An. p. 75 (1828) ; Dresser, B» Euroj^e,

iii, p. 309, pi. 132, fig. 2 (1875) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p.

852 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. x, p. 543 (1885) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 12

(1896).

Description. Adult male in summer. — Above, sandy brown
streaked with dark brown ; wing-coverts and secondaries dark
brown edged with whitish, the middle and greater coverts tipped
with whitish ; primaries dusky brown with paler edges, the outer
edged with white ; outer tail-feather white, the outer web tipped,
the inner marked with brown ; rest of tail-feathers brown, the
centre pair edged with whitish-brown, the penultimate with a
white spot at the end of the inner web; lores, eyebrow, eyelids,
ear-coverts and cheeks buff; malar line blackish ; chin white ; rest
of lower surface buff, the abdomen lighter, the lower throat, breast
and flanks streaked with dark brown ; axillaries and under wing-
coverts buff mottled with dusky near the edge of wing.

Iris dark brown ; upper mandible dark brown, the lower paler ;
legs and feet pale flesh-colour.

Length 6-00 ; wing 3'40 ; tail 2-60 ; tarsus 0-90 ; culmen 0-50.

Adult female. — Shghtly smaller and less distinctly spotted on
the breast.

Young. — The breast-streaks are smaller but more numerous.

Adults in winter. — Deeper buff below, the light margins on the
wing-coverts and quills broader than in summer.

Distribution. — Breeds in Northern and Central Europe and in
Western Siberia, migrates in autumn to India and Africa, a few
individuals ranging as far south as the Transvaal, where it was
first obtained by Wahlberg on the Limpopo Eiver.

Habits. — In its northern migration this species reaches its

248 MOTACILLIDiE ANTHUS

breeding quarters in Europe towards the end of March or beginning
of April, and departs again for the south in September and October.
During the breeding-season the male is fond of uttering his Canary-
like song from the top of a tree or while hovering in the air over
his perch. This Pipit feeds on insects and small seeds. Its nest,
placed on the ground, often amongst the herbage of a steep bank,
is cup shaped, built of dry grass, moss and rootlets, lined v ith finer
grass and hair. The eggs, from four to six in number, varj greatly
in colour ; some are reddish-brown spotted and dotted o/ei with
deeper reddish-brown ; others greyish -white spotted and mottled
with dark brown ; whilst others are streaked with purplish-black.
They average 0-80 x 060. - '

fj^^) r^'iyJ Kj-<X'X> ^

7^?

142. Anthus brachyurus. Short-tailed Pipit.

Anthus brachyurus, Sundevall, (Efvers, Stockholm, 1850, p. 100 ;

Lmjard's B. S. Afr. p. 122 (1867) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr.

pp. 530, 852 (1884) ; id. Cat. B, M. x, p. 551 (1885) ; Shelley, B.

Afr. i, p. 12 (1896).
Anthus calthropge, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 121 (1867).

Description. Adult male iii^ summer. — Above, dark brown, the
feathers with paler edges ; lesser wing- coverts brown, the middle
and greater darker brown edged with buff ; quills dark brown edged
with olive, the outer edge of the outer primary white ; tail-feathers
dark brown edged with light brown, the two outer with dull white ;
crown - feathers dark brown with fulvous edges ; lores, eyelids,
ear-coverts and cheeks buff, the ear-coverts streaked, the cheeks
spotted, with brown ; lower surface of body white, the throat and
chest tinged with buff, the lower throat spotted, the chest streaked,
with blackish ; thighs fulvous ; under tail-coverts buff centred with
dark brown ; axillaries yellowish ; under wing-coverts buff ; under
surface of quills dusky, their inner margins broadly grey.

Iris hazel ; upper mandible brown, the lower paler ; legs and
feet pale brown.

Length 4*75 ; wing 2-60 ; tail 1-65 ; tarsus 0-65 ; culmen 0-45.

Adult female. — Differs from the male in being olive-yellow on
the sides of neck and chest.

Young. — Above, rufous-brown streaked with black, the rump
unstreaked ; the wing and tail-feathers with rufous margins.

Distribution. — Natal in summer ; the Southern and Eastern

MOTACILLIDJE ANTHUS 249

Transvaal in winter, and probably in summer as well, as it is
recorded from Eustenburg, by Lucas, both in November and
April. This species is, in Natal, " only plentiful during the
summer months " according to Ayres.

Habits. — Mr. Ayres writes : "It is quite a terrestrial bird,
never, to my knowledge, alighting on any twig or stem of grass,
but .alwf^s on the ground. The birds generally rise from the
grass clo^e to one's feet, and it is no easy matter to shoot them,
as their iight is ^^oth strong and very eccentric. They build their
nests (I am toler8flbl^*3ure) : similai^y to the Larks on the ground,
^with a few loose 'dry Teaves of grass ; they are generally either
single or in pair J)" ^

These Pipitabx ^f eed on small in^octs and grass seeds ; their
ordinary note is a shi^U " chirrup." In spring the male frequently
utters a shojt but by no means unpleasant song from an ant-hill
or some slight elevation. In the Transvaal, according to Lucas,
they sometimes perch oA trees ; this habit I have not myself
noticed in Natal.

143. Anthus nicholsoni. Nicholson's Pipit.

Anthus nicholsoni, Sharpe, eel. LayariVs B. S. Afr. p. 536 (1884) ; id.
Cat. B. M. X, p. 553 (1885) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 12 (1896).

Anthus campestris {nee Vieitl.) Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara
Land, p. 114 (1872) ; Bocage, Orn. Afigola, p. 292 (1881).

Descriptio7i. Adult male in winter. — Above, brown with narrow
streaks of black, the rump feathers and upper tail-coverts with
rufous edges ; tail-feathers dusky brown, the outer web and
terminal third of the inner web of the outer feather dull white ;
the outer edge and tip of the next feather whitish ; lesser wing-
coverts like the back ; rest of wing-coverts and quills blackish
edged with brown and rufous, the inner margin of the outer
primary white ; crown brown mottled with black ; lores, eyebrow
and eyelids yellowish ; ear-coverts rufous with white shafts ; cheeks
buff; moustache black; throat white; sides of neck and under
surface of body buff, of a deeper shade on the sides, thigJis and
under tail-coverts, the lower throat spotted, the sides streaked, with
dusky brown ; axillaries and under wing-coverts pale buff.

Iris dark hazel ; bill brown ; feet pale brown.

Length 7-65; wing 3-90; tail 3-15; tarsus 105; culmen 070. -

250 MOTACILLID^ ANTHUS

Adult male in summe7\ — Above, rufous-brown streaked with
black, otherwise as in winter.

Distribution.— Cq^-^q Colony; Cape Town (May ; King-Williams-
town (May); Eland's Post (June); Natal, and The Transvaal;
extending to Damara Land and Angola. .

^ . ^ lJItujo

^'^ 144. Anthus pyrrhonotus. Cinnamm-h^cked Pijpit.

L'AloTiette k dos roux, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. iv, pi. 197 (1805).

Alauda pyrrhonota, Vieill. Nouv. Diet, i, p. 361 (1816).

Anthus leucophrys, Gray, Gen. B. i, p. 206 (1847) ; Layard, B. S.

Afr. p. 122 (1867).
Megalophonus pyrrhonotus, Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 211 (1867).
Anthus pyrrhonotus, Gurney, in Andersson' s B. Damara Land, p. 113

(1872) ; Butler, Feilden and Beid, Zool. 1882, p. 336 ; Sharpe, ed.

Layard' s B. S. Afr. p. 537 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. x, p. 555 (1885) ;

Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 12 (1896).
" Enkelde Leeuwerk " of the Dutch.

Description. Adult male in summer. — Above, brown, the lesser
wing - coverts like the back ; remaining coverts blackish edged
with buff ; quills dusky brown edged with fulvous ; tail-feathers
dark brown edged with grey, the tips of the outer pair and the outer
web of the outermost dull white ; crown like the back ; lores,
eyebrow and feathers below eye whitish, ear-coverts buff-brown ;
cheeks whitish bounded above and below by a dusky streak;
throat dull white ; rest of under surface buff, lighter in the centre
of body and on the under tail-coverts, the chest slightly streaked
with dusky ; axillaries and under wing-coverts brown.

Iris hazel ; bill dusky ; legs and feet dark flesh-colour.

Length 6*60 ; wing 3*65 ; tail 2-35 ; tarsus 1-10 ; culmen 065.

Adult female. — Eesembles the adult male, but is a little smaller.

Adult in winter, — Above, a greyer brown, the edges of the wing-
coverts and quills more distinct, the breast less streaked.

Distribution. — This, the commonest species of Pipit in South
Africa, ranges over the greater portion of Cape Colony, excluding
the forest districts of the south, and is particularly abundant on
the veldt country of Upper Natal and the Orange Free State.
In the Transvaal, says Mr. Ayres, "it is distributed during the
winter months over the whole country, but more plentifully on
high bare land than in the bush or along the Limpopo." It
extends northward throughout Matabili and Mashonaland to the
Zambesi, and thence to Abyssinia. On the west coast this species

7<^o

MOTACILLID.5: ANTHUS 251

is, according to Andersson, widely dispersed over both Great
Namaqua and Damara Lands and Anchieta met with it both in
Benguela and Angola. To the north of the Congo it is replaced
by a smaller and darker race that has been named by Fraser,
Anthus gouldi ; this extends as far north as Senegambia.

Habits. — This Pipit is found both on the open veldt, where it
runs on the ground and perches on stones and ant-hills, and among
bushes and trees, when it perches on the latter if disturbed, and
flies from tree to tree if followed. Its flight is low and undulating.
Its call-note is a weak *' chirp." In summer the cock sings prettily
from the top of a bush or ant-hill. These Pipits feed almost entirely
on insects. They build about the end of September. The nest
is cup-shaped, constructed of dry grass lined with finer grass and
a few hairs, and is usually concealed in a slight hollow over-
hung by grass. The eggs, almost invariably three in number,
are dull white or cream-coloured, thickly marked with spots and
mottlings of grey, brown and reddish-purple. They measure about
0-85 X 0-60.

145. Anthus rufulus. L^ser Tawny Pipit.

Anthus mfulus, Vieill. N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xxvi, p. 494 (1818) ; Gray,
Gen. B. i, p. 206 (1847) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. x, p. 574 (1885) ;
Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 12 (1896) ; Gates, B. India, ii, p. 308 (1890).

Anthus caffer, Sundev. (Efv. K. Vet.-Akad, Fork. Stochh. 1850 p. 100 ;
Layard. B. 8. Afr. p. 123 (1867) ; Gurney in Andersson' s B. Damara
Land, p. 113 (1872) ; Butler, Feilden and Beid, Zoologist, 1882, p.
335 ; Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. pp. 434, 852 (1884).

Anthus raalteni, Bp. Consp. i, p. 248 (1850) ; Layard' s B. S. Afr. p. 123
(1867) ; Gurney in Andersson' s B. Damara Land, p. 113 (1872).

Description. Adult male in summer. — Above, clear brown, the
feathers centred with blackish ; the lower back and rump uniform
grey-brown ; least wing-coverts with black bases, broad rufous
margins and white tips ; rest of coverts blackish edged with rufous ;
quills blackish, their outer webs rufous, the primaries edged with
white, the inner secondaries more broadly with buff ; outer pair of
tail-feathers white with a dusky streak on the inner web; other
tail-feathers blackish edged with brown ; crown and nape like the
back; lores dusky; eyebrow and cheeks buff; ear-coverts brown;
moustache line black ; throat and centre of abdomen whitish ; rest
of under surface bright buff-brown, the upper chest streaked with
black; axillariesand under wing-coverts dusky.

252 MOTACILLID^. ANTHUS

Iris brown ; bill brown ; legs and feet yellowish.

Length 6'50 ; wing 3-50 ; tail 250 ; tarsus 1-05 ; culmen 0-55.

Adult female. — Eesembles the male in colour but is slightly
smaller.

Distribution. — This Pipit has a very wide range both in Africa
and Asia. In the former continent it is found over the greater part
of the country to the south of the Cun6ne and Zambesi Rivers,
while to the eastward it extends from the latter river as far north
as Egypt. In Asia it is a resident in every part of India and
Ceylon, and extends into Burmah, Malayia, Java, Sumatra, Borneo
and the Philippine Islands. In South Africa it is generally dis-
tributed over Cape Colony, being resident near Cape Town,
Swellendam, Port EHzabeth, Graharastown, Colesberg, Eland's
Post and elsewhere. In Natal it is a common and permanent
resident in the higher districts, and the same remark appHes
to the Orange Free State. It is widely distributed and fairly
common in the Transvaal as well as in Matabili and Mashona-
lands as far north as the Zambesi. In Damara Land it appears
to be rare, as Andersson only obtained a single example.

Habits. — This bird is usually found in pairs. Like A. pyrrhono-
tus, it is fond of perching on trees, should there be any in the
neighbourhood, but it is frequently met with on the open veldt,
feeding, on the ground, on various insects and small seeds. It also
frequents the cattle kraals for the sake of the small beetles and
other insects it finds on the dung. It has a rough " chirping " call-
note and a rather sweet and pleasant song, which is generally
uttered from the branch of a tree or the top of an ant-hill or stone.
The nest is cup-shaped, bailt of dry grass, lined with finer grass
and hairs, by the side of a grass-tuft. The eggs, usually three in
number, are pale stone-colour, thickly mottled with purplish-brown
and red. They measure about 080 x 0-60.

146. Anthus bocagii. Bocage's Pipit.

Anthus pallescens, Bocage {nee Vigors), Jorn. Lisb. 1874, p. 52; id.

Orn. Angola, p. 294, pi. 8, fig. 2 (.1881).
Anthus bocagii, NicJiolson, Ibis, 1884, p. 469 ; Sharpe. Cat. B. M. x,

p. 579 (1885) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p 12 (1896).

Description. Adult. — Like Anthus rufulus but paler; above,
ash-brown mottled with darker brown ; the rump and upper tail-

MOTACILLID^ MOTACILLA 253

coverts unmottled ; wing-coverts and quills pale brown edged with
white; outer pair of tail-feathers white with an oblique streak of
brown on the inner web ; other tail-feathers dark brown, the central
pair edged and tipped with white ; crown like the back ; lores, eye-
brow and cheeks white ; ear-coverts pale brown ; below, white
tinged with buff-brown ; the chest marked with triangular black
spots ; axillaries and under wing-coverts huffish.

Length 6-40; wing 3-30 ; tail 2-40; tarsus 1-00; culmen 0-55.

Distribution. — Northern Damara Land and Angola.

Habits. — This Pipit, which can only be looked upon as a pale
race of Anthus rufulus, doubtless resembles the latter in habits.

Genus IIL MOTACILLA.

Type.
Motacilla, Linjueus Syst. Nat. i, p. 328 (1766) M. alba.

Bill and nostrils as in Anthus. Wing moderately long (rather
pointed in migratory, rounded in resident species), with only nine
clearly visible primaries, the first being nearly obsolete, the second,
third and fourth nearly equal and longest, the fifth shorter ; the
inner secondaries very long, as long, or nearly as long as the
primaries. Tail of twelve feathers, long and nearly even, about as
long as the wing. Tarsus rather long and slender, about twice as
long as the middle toe without its claw ; toes moderate, the middle
joined to the outer at its base ; hind claw short and curved or long
and nearly straight ; front claws short and curved. Plumage of
plain colours, destitute of spots and streaks ; a distinct summer and
winter dress ; sexes nearly alike ; the young closely resembling the
adults or not very different. Two moults in the year, one complete,
one partial.

The Wagtails, some twenty-seven species and subspecies, range
over the greater part of Europe, Asia and Africa, one species
occasionally reaching Alaska. Seven species occur in South Africa,
three being resident, four annual migrants from Europe.

Wagtails spend much of their time on the ground searching for
their food which consists almost entirely of insects. They run
with rapidity, have an undulating flight, and have gained their
trivial name from their habit of constantly vibrating their tails up
and down. They fall naturally into two groups, the Pied Wagtails,
with the wing longer than the tail and a hooked hind claw, of which
three species are resident in South Africa, and the Yellow Wagtails,

254

MOTACILLID^

MOTACILLA

§

Motacilla flava.

Motacilla longicauda

MOTACILLIDiE MOTACILLA 255

with the tail longer than the wing and with a long and but slightly
curved hind - claw. Four species and subspecies of the latter
group are annual visitors to South Africa from Europe and Western
Asia. It will be seen from the accompanying illustration that the
wing of the migratory M. flava is longer and more pointed than
that of the resident M. longicauda, and that the hind claw of the
former, a bird that frequents from choice flat and marshy pasture
lands, is long and but slightly curved, while that of the latter, a
species that habitually runs on wet and slippery stones and rocks,
is short and strongly hooked.

Key to the Species.

a. Wing longer than the tail ; plumage black,

brown, or grey and white, without any yellow.

a' . Entire upper surface black M. vidua, in s iimmer,

p. 255.

6^ Crown and back clear grey M. longicauda, p. 257.

c*. Crown black ; back ash -brown M. vidua, in winter,

p. 255.
dK Crown ash - brown ; back brown M, capensis, p. 259.

b. Wing shorter than the tail ; above, back olive-

yellow ; lower surface of body yellow.

eK Crown yellow or olive-yellow M, campestris, p. 260.

j^. Crown blue-grey or slate-grey.

a^. With a white eyebrow ; lower throat

unmottled M, Jlava, p. 261.

6^ No eyebrow; lower throat mottled with

greenish M, flavahorealis,

p. 263.

«7^ Crown black.

c^ No eyebrow, lower throat unmottled M, melcmocephala,

p. 263.

147. Motacilla vidua. African Pied Wagtail.

L'Aguimp ou La Lavandiere Pie, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. iv, p. 82, pi. 178
(1805).

Motacilla vidua, Sundev. (Efvers, Stochholm, 1850, p. 128; Sharpe,
ed. Laijard's B. S. Afr. pp. 545, 853 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. x,
p. 488 (1885); Shelleij, B. Afr. i, p. 11 (1896).

Motacilla vaillantii, Bp. Conspect. i, p. 13 (1850) ; Gurney, in Anders-
son's B. Damara Land, p, 112 (1872).

Motacilla aguimp, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 119 (1867) ; Sharpe, Cat.
Afr. B. p. 73 (1871) ; id. in Oates's Matahili Land, App. p. 317
(1881).

Motacilla gariepina, Holub and Pel^eki, Orn. Sildafr, p. 85 (1882).

256 MOTACILLIDiE MOTACILLA

Description. Adult male in summer. — Head, upper surface of
body, upper tail and lesser wing-coverts jet-black ; middle and greater
wing-coverts white with black bases ; primary coverts and inner
secondaries black ; remaining quills black with white bases ; two
outer tail-feathers white, the penultimate edged with black on the
inner web, other tail-feathers black ; eyebrow, patch on sides of
neck and throat white ; ear-coverts black, joined to the nape and
a black patch on the fore-neck ; rest of under surface white, the
sides and flanks grey ; axillaries and under wing-coverts white ;
quills below dusky, the bases of inner webs white.

Iris hazel ; bill and feet black.

Length 8-00; wing 3-60; tail 3-70; tarsus 1-00; culmen 0*70.

Adult female. — Like the male in colour, but with a shorter tail.

Adult in winter. — Upper surface of body ash-brown ; remaining
plumage as in summer.

You7ig. — Above, brown (becoming grey in a later stage), the
rump and upper tail-coverts dusky, the outer feathers of the tail-
coverts edged with white; tail-feathers dark brown, the two outer
white. Wing : the portion that is black in the adults is brown in the
young. Head : crown brown-black, some of the feathers with white
edgings ; eyebrow white ; lores and ear-coverts black ; cheeks and
sides of neck white. Below white, crossed on the lower throat by
a band of black, the sides and flanks tinged with brown.

Distribution. — The greater part of Africa south of the Sahara
extending into Egypt and Southern Palestine. In South Africa
it is somewhat local in its distribution. In the Colony it occurs
near Beaufort West and in the neighbourhood of Colesberg
and is abundant on the Orange Eiver near Upiogton and else-
where. It is common in many parts of Natal and occurs also
in the Orange Free State, the Transvaal and in Bechuana and
Mashonalands, ranging as far north as the Zambesi Eiver where
it is common nearly everyv^here from the mouth to the Victoria
Falls. Andersson did not meet with this Wagtail in Damara
Land and in Namaqua Land only on the Orange River, but
Anchieta collected a specimen at Humbe to the north of the
Cunene River and Sala met with it in Benguela and Angola. To
the north of the Quanza it occurs on most of the rivers on the
west coast. In Eastern and North-eastern Africa it is a some-
what common, but at the same time local species. In Egypt it
ranges as far north as the first cataract.

Habits. — In summer this elegant Wagtail is easily recognised by

MOTACILLID^ MOTACILLA 257

its strongly contrasted colours of jet-black and pure white. It is
most frequently met with on the borders of large rivers and vleis,
almost invariably in pairs. It is also partial to pasture land where
it follows the cattle and horses for the sake of the flies and other
insects which infest them. It feeds also on small beetles, the larvae
of various water insects and mosquitoes. The latter it catches
on the wing whilst skimming over the surface of the water. The
ordinary note of this Wagtail is a sharp " chirrup " resembling that
of the other species ; in spring and summer it has a low pitched
but pleasant and melodious song. It runs with great celerity, and
its long tail is incessantly in motion, vibrating up and down. Its
nest, built in September in inland districts, but about the beginning
of August on the coast of Natal, is placed in a hole, on a ledge of
rock, or against the bank of a stream. It is rather large, with
thick walls and is cup-shaped, constructed outwardly of dead
leaves, tendrils and dry grass and lined with finer grass, rootlets
and hair. The eggs, from three to five in number, are larger than
those of the Cape Wagtail, of a pale brown ground-colour, thickly
freckled and spotted all over with darker brown and grey. They
measure 0'90 x 0-60.

148. Motacilla longicauda. Grey-hacked Wagtail.

Motacilla longicauda, Buj^j^. N. Wirb. Vog. p. 84, pi. 29, fig. 2 (1835) ;
Lmjard, B. S. Afr. p. 119 (1867) ; SJiarpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr.
p. 544 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. x, p. 495 (1885) ; SJielley, B. Afr. i,
p. 11 (1896).

Descriptio7i. Adult male. — Above, crown and upper surface of
body delicate blue-grey ; lesser wing-coverts blackish edged with
grey ; inner greater coverts white, the centre of the outer web
black ; remaining coverts black tipped with white ; quills black,
the outer primary with a patch of white towards the centre of the
inner web, the amount of white increasing with each succeeding
quill until the inner web at the base is entirely white, the outer
webs of the inner secondaries also broadly margined with white
toward the ends ; four centre tail-feathers black edged with white ;
rest of tail-feathers pure white ; eyebrow and eyelids white ; fore-
head and lores dusky ; ear-coverts grey and white ; cheeks and
under surface of body white interrupted by a black crescent across
the lower throat, the sides and flanks tinged with blue-grey;

17

258 MOTACILLID.E MOTACILLA

axillaries, under wing and tail-coverts white ; edge of wing mottled
black and white.

Iris brown ; bill black ; legs and feet greyish-brown.

Length 7-50; wing 3-10; tail 3-85 ; tarsus 0-80 ; culmen 0-55.

Adult female. — Resembles the male in plumage.

Young. — Above, browner than the adults ; the crescent across
the lower throat browner and narrower ; the white wing-mark-
ings less distinct ; the centre tail-feathers mottled at their bases
with white.

Distribution. — Eastern Cape Colony : rather rare, but found near
Grahamstown, Kingwilliamstown and East London, becoming more
common, but still locally distributed, in Natal, Zululand, and the
Eastern Transvaal. It is also found in Abyssinia.

Habits. — This peculiarly beautiful and graceful Wagtail is not
uncommon on such of the rocky streams of Natal and Zululand as
are broken by numerous rapids and waterfalls and I have myself
never met with it elsewhere. Unless the young have lately left
the nest, seldom more than a pair are seen together, and these
monopolise a certain range of stream which they appear never to
leave. In their habits they very closely resemble the Grey Wagtail
of Europe. In all its movements the Grey-backed Wagtail is
extremely active and graceful, whether tripping over the pebbles
by the side of the stream, or flitting over its surface in pursuit of
flies or mosquitoes. Its flight is low and undulating, but direct ;
when resting its tail is constantly vibrating. It is fond of perching
on certain favourite rocks or stones that show their tops above the
stream, especially if they are surrounded by broken water. Both
the male and female frequently utter a sharp '* chirrup," almost
invariably so as they take flight ; in spring and summer the male
has in addition a low but pleasant warbling song of a few notes.
This Wagtail feeds entirely on insects, chiefly on the larvae of
dragon-flies and mosquitoes, but also on flies and other winged
insects. A newly completed nest, found near Pinetown in Natal
on August 5, was built on the ledge of a rock by the side of
a waterfall ; it was rather bulky, constructed outwardly of dead
leaves, moss and dry grass, the cup-shaped hollow lined with fine
rootlets and hair. At this date the eggs had not been laid and
they appear to be unknown to collectors.

MOTACILLID.E , . MOTACILLA 259

149. Motacilla capensis. Gai^e Wagtail.

Motacilla capensis, Li7m. Syst. Nat. i, p. 333 (1766) ; Layard, B. S. Afr.

p. 118 (1867) ; Giirney inAndersson's B. DamaraLand, p. Ill (1872) ;

Holub and Pelzeln, Orn. Siidafr. p. 82 (1882) ; Butler, Feilden and

Beid, Zoologist, 1882, p. 337 ; Sliarpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp.

547, 853 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M. x, p. 493 (1885) : Shelley, B. Afr. i, p.

11 (1896).
La Lavandiere brune, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. iv, p. 80, pi. 177 (1805).

" Quick Stertje " of the Dutch.

Description. Adult male. — Above, brown ; wing-coverts like
the back, edged with grey ; quills darker brown, the first edged
with white ; tail-feathers dusky-brown, the outer pair white, crossed
diagonally by a brown streak ; crown and back of neck greyish-
brown ; narrow eyebrow white ; lores, feathers below eye, and ear-
coverts dusky ; cheeks and throat white, the lower throat crossed
by a broad crescent of black ; rest of under surface white tinged
with yellow, the sides browner ; under tail-coverts white ; thighs
and axillaries brown ; under wing-coverts white with dusky bases ;
under surface of quills dusky, the base of the inner webs white ;
edge of wing mottled brown and white.

Iris hazel ; bill, legs and feet brownish.

Length 7-25 ; wing 3-25 ; tail 3-45 ; tarsus 090 ; culmen 0*60.

Adult female. — Duller than the male in colour, the black chest-
band narrower, also rather smaller.

Length 6-85 ; wing 3*20 ; tail 3'35.

Young. — The head brown like the back ; the white throat
tinged with brown ; the greater wing-coverts distinctly tipped with
white.

Distribution. — South Africa : abundant throughout Cape Colony,
and very common on the Orange Eiver, but becomes rarer to the
north of this ; extends to the Guano Islands off the west coast.
Local and not common in Great Namaqualand, Damara Land, and
Benguela. Abundant in the higher districts in Natal but uncommon
on the coast. Eesident throughout the Orange Free State and the
Transvaal, becoming rarer to the north of the Limpopo Eiver, in
Matabili and Mashonalands. Somewhat local in Griqualand West
and Bechuanaland.

Habits. — This species, the commonest Wagtail, and one of the
tamest and most familiar birds in South Africa, is nearly every-
where a resident or only subject to local migrations of no great
extent. Although most abundant on the banks of rivers or vleis

260 MOTACILLID^ MOTACILLA

and in moist and humid situations, it frequents also dry and arid
localities at a distance from water, and is found equally in towns
and villages and in uninhabited districts. It is even a resident on
the barren and waterless guano islands off the west coast. Like
its congeners it appreciates the society of horses and cattle, and
follows these animals closely in order to catch the flies and other
insects which they disturb. It runs on the ground with activity
and frequently rises a few feet in the air in pursuit of a fly. When
prolonged its flight is undulating, in a series of curves. It has a
sharp call-note, " chis-sek," frequently uttered, almost invariably
as it takes flight, and in spring a somewhat feeble song. It feeds
almost entirely on insects, principally on flies and mosquitoes and
their larvae, occasionally on a few small seeds. The nest, usually
commenced in September, is a somewhat bulky cup-shaped struc-
ture, built of dry grass and dead leaves and lined with short hairs
and fur. It is often placed against the bank of a river or stream,
under a stone, or among the exposed roots of a tree or bush, some-
times in the hole of a wall or rock, at others on a heap of driftwood.
The eggs, three or four in number, are buff - coloured, thickly
spotted and mottled all over with brown. They average about
0-84 X 0-56.

1 0 i> 150. Motacilla campestris. Bay's Yellow Wagtail.

MotaciUa campestris, Pallas, Beis. Buss. BeicJis. iii, Anhang, p. 697
(1776) ; Sharije, Cat. B. M. x, p. 510, pi. 6, figs. 1 and 2 (1885) ; Shelley,
B. Afr. i, p. 11 (1896).

Motacilla rayi, Dresser, B. Europe, iii, p. 277, pi. 131 (1875).

Budytes campestris, Sharjje, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 551 (1884).

Description. Adult male in breeding plumage. — Above, back olive-
yellow merging into bright yellow on the rump, olive edged with
yellow on the upper tail-coverts ; lesser wing-coverts like the back ;
remaining coverts and quills dusky brown edged with yellowish
and pale brown, two outer tail-feathers white, the inner webs with
a brown streak, the next with the outer web and a patch on
the inner white, the rest dusky brown ; forehead bright yellow
becoming duller on the crown; eyebrow, eyelids, lores, centre of
ear-coverts and cheeks bright yellow ; rest of ear-coverts olive ;
below, bright yellow, the sides tinged with greenish ; axillaries
bright yellow; under wing-coverts white tinged with yellow and
mottled with dusky.

MOTACILLID^ MOTACILLA 261

Iris brown ; bill, tarsi and feet black.

Length 6-35 ; wing 3-10 ; tail 2"75 ; tarsus 0-90 ; culmen 0-52.

Achilt female. — Like the male but less bright, the forehead like
the crown.

Adult in winter. — Crown olive-yellow uniform with the back;
ear-coverts entirely yellow.

Distribution. — Breeds in the British Isles and in South-eastern
Eussia and Turkestan. Migrates in winter to West and South
Africa, ranging as far south on the west coast as Gaboon, on the
east as Mozambique, the Transvaal and Natal.

Habits. — Ray's Wagtail is only found in South Africa during
the season of the European winter and it can only be looked upon
as a somewhat rare visitor at this period, as the majority of this
species do not wander as far south. The individual birds that
migrate to and from the Transvaal and Natal probably breed in
South-eastern Russia or in Turkestan, as the more western
birds that reach England are known to do so by migrating across
the Straits of Gibraltar and so through Spain and France. This
Wagtail haunts from choice flat or undulating pasture or corn-land,
and is partial to swampy grass-lands near meres and rivers. It
is fond of running after cattle for the sake of the flies and other
insects which it finds infesting these animals. It flies in undulating
curves. Its note is the usual "chirrup" of the Wagtails. In
addition to various insects it feeds on small water-molluscs.

Towards the end of April or beginning of May, in England, it
commences to build its nest in a depression of the ground in a
cornfield or meadow. It is a cup-shaped structure, built of dry
grass and moss, lined with fine rootlets, hair and down. From
four to six greyish-white eggs, mottled with brown and often with
a few black hair-streaks towards the large end, are laid about the
first week in May. They measure 0-78 x 0*56.

151. Motacilla flava. Bhie-headed Wagtail.

Motacilla flava, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 331 (1760) ; Dresser, B. Europe,

iii, p. 261, pi. 129, figs, 1 and 2 (1875) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. x, p. 516,

pi. 6, figs. 3-5 (1885) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 11 (1896).

Budytes flava, Cuvier, Begne Anim. p. 371 (1817) ; Gurney in

Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 112 (1872) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's

B. S. Afr. pp. 550, 853 (1884).

Description. Adult male in summer. — Above, olive-yellow,

brighter on the rump ; upper tail-coverts dusky edged with olive-

262 MOTACILLID^ MOTACILLA

yellow ; tail-feathers dusky brown, the two outer pairs white edged
internally with dusky brown ; least wing - coverts olive - brown ;
middle coverts dusky brown tipped with yellowish ; greater coverts
brownish-black edged with hght brown and tipped with white ;
quills brown tinged with yellow and edged with grey ; crown and
nape blue-grey ; eyebrow, cheeks and chin w^hite ; lores black ;
ear-coverts dark grey ; under surface of body bright yellow ;
axillaries and under wing-coverts white tinged with yellow.

Iris hazel ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length in flesh 6*75; wing 3-10; tail 2-90; tarsus 0-80;
culmen 0*50.

Adult female. — Not as bright as the male; the back and wing-
coverts shaded with brown ; below much paler yellow.

Young. — Above, brownish, the head like the back ; eyebrow pale
buff; below, throat white; rest of under surface white tinged with
brown on the chest and slightly mottled with dusky; axillaries
olive-yellow ; under wing-coverts yellowish-white.

Distribution. — Breeds throughout the greater part of Europe,
Northern Asia and Alaska : migrates during the northern winter to
Africa, where it ranges as far south as Damara Land, the Transvaal
and Natal : it is also found in Southern Asia and the Moluccas.

Habits. — In all its habits this species closely resembles M.
campestris. It feeds on various small insects and their larvae, also
upon minute water molluscs, hence it is fond of haunting marshy
ground bordering on lakes and rivers. It is a frequent attendant on
cattle, for the sake of the flies that hover round these animals. Its
flight is in a series of undulating curves. It frequently utters a
sharp '* chirrup." The nest is built on the ground among grass,
or under cover of a weed, and frequently in swampy localities.
It is formed of rootlets, dry grass, and moss, lined with hairs.
The eggs, four to six in number, resemble those of M. rayi.

In the Transvaal, Ayres writes, *' This Wagtail appears in spring
in considerable numbers, and leaves again about the latter end of
April ; they do not appear to rest here, neither are they in good
plumage; the best plumaged birds are to be got just. as they are
leaving. During their stay here they are common on our market-
square (at Potchefstroom) early every morning, where they find
abundant food amongst the short grass and the cow-dung, which
attracts many insects, on which they are often seen feeding in
company with Motacilla capensis."

In Damara Land this species is said by Andersson to appear
only in or about the rainy season.

MOTACILLID^ MOTACILLA 263

152. Motacilla flava borealis. Grey-headed Wagtail.

Motacilla flava borealis, Sundev. CEfv. K. Vet.-Akad. Fork. StocM.

1840, p. 53; Finch and Hartl. Vog. Ostafr. p. 272 (1870).
Motacilla viridis, Gray, Gen. B. i, p. 203 (1847) ; Dresser, B. Europe,

iii, p. 181, pi. 129, fig. 3 (1875).
Budytes viridis, Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 853 (1884).
Motacilla borealis, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. x, p. 522, pi. 7, fig. 2 (1885) ;

Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 12 (1896).
Description. Adult male in summer. — Differs from the male of
M. flava in having no white eyebrow ; the crown and nape dark
slate-colour ; the lores, feathers round the eye, and ear-coverts
black ; the lower throat mottled with greenish-black.
Iris hazel ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length 6-85; wing 3-30; tail 3-00; tarsus 0-80; culmen 0-50.
Adult female in summer. — Duller in colour than the male ; crown
and nape olive-grey ; a distinct eyebrow dull white ; lores and ear-
coverts grey-brown, with a whitish streak below ; below, paler
yellow than the male, the lower throat mottled with greenish-
black.

Length 6-50 ; wing 3-00 ; tail 2-80.

Young. — Above, greyish-brown, the rump greyer ; crown like the
back ; lores and eyebrow white ; feathers before and under the eye,
as well as the ear-coverts, slate-colour ; cheeks and throat white, the
lower throat mottled with greenish-black ; rest of under surface
buff-colour, the sides and flanks tinged with brown, the centre of
breast with large black spots ; axillaries and under wing-coverts
white, their bases dusky.

Distribution. — Breeds in Northern Europe and Siberia and
migrates in winter to Southern Asia and Africa. In South Africa
it has occurred once or twice in the Transvaal.

Habits. — The Grey-headed Wagtail can hardly be looked upon
as more than a geographical race of M, flava. Its habits are similar,
and its eggs Resemble those of the latter.

153. Motacilla melanocephala. Black-headed Wagtail.

Motacilla melanocephala, Licht, Verz. Douhl. p. 36 (1823) ; Dresser, B.

Europe, iii, p. 273, pi. 160 (1875) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 12 (1896).
Motacilla feldeggi, Michah. Isis, 1830, p. 814 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. x,

p. 527 (1885).
Budytes melanocephalus, Bp. Fauna Ital., Ucc, pi. 31, fig. 3 (1832) ;

Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 551 (1884).
Budytes flava melanocephala, Schl. Bev. Crit. p. 38 (1814) ; Heugl.

Orn. N. O.-Afr. i, p. 321 (1869).

264 CEBTHIID^ SALPOENIS

Description. AdtiU male in summer. — Above, olive-green, the
rump olive-yellow ; upper tail-coverts dusky, tinged with olive-
yellow, externally white; lesser wing- coverts brown edged with
olive ; middle and greater coverts blackish edged and tipped with
olive - yellow ; quills brown edged with yellowish ; tail - feathers
brown edged with olive ; the outer pair white with a brown streak
on the inner web ; crown, nape, lores, feathers below eyes and ear-
coverts black ; cheeks and under surface bright yellow ; axillaries
yellow ; under wing-coverts white tinged with yellow and mottled
with grey.

Iris brown ; bill, legs and feet dusky-brown.

Length 6-75 ; wing 3-25 ; tail 3-00 ; tarsus 0-85 ; culmen 0-50.

Adult female. — Above, brownish- olive ; below, very pale yellow.

Young. — Eesemble those of M. flava.

Distribution. — Breeds in South-eastern Europe and Central
Asia ; winters in Africa and India. A single example is recorded as
having been forwarded from the Transvaal by Mr. Ayres.

Habits. — The habits of this Wagtail, as well as its nest and eggs,
resemble those of Motacilla flava.

Family VIII. CERTHIIDiE.

Bill sometimes nearly straight, but usually curved and more or
less long and slender, the edges smooth. Nostrils basal, covered
by a membranous scale, but not by bristles or plumes ; rictal
bristles absent. Wing with ten primaries of varying length. Tail
with twelve rectrices, of varying shape and length. Tarsus rather
short, scutellated anteriorly (except in Tichodroma). Feet strong ;
toes well developed ; claws curved and sharp, especially the hind-
claw. Tongue non-tubular. Plumage usually barred or spotted.
Sexes alike or nearly so ; the young paler in colour.

The family contains three genera (excluding Climacteris), and
about ten species and subspecies^ which range over Europe, Asia,
Africa and North America.

Genus I. SALPORNIS.

Type.

Salpornis, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc., 1847, p. 7 S. spilonotus.

Bill longer than the head, slender, decurved, compressed
laterally; the edges of the mandibles smooth and unnotched.

CERTHIID^

SALPORNIS

265

Nostrils longitudinal, exposed, in a groove, with a slight oper-
culum ; rictal and nasal bristles and plumes absent. Wings long
and pointed, falling a little short of the tip of tail ; the first primary-
short, about 0*75; the second very long and nearly equal to the
third, fourth and fifth, which are equal and longest ; the secon-
daries extremely short. Tail of twelve soft feathers, short and
nearly square. Tarsus short, strong and scutellated anteriorly;

Salpornis sinlonotus salvaclorii

toes long and strong, especially the hinder, which is, without its
claw, nearly as long as the tarsus ; the middle toe about equal in
length to the hind toe, the outer and inner equal and shorter.
Claws sharp and curved, the hind claw especially so. Plumage
brown much barred and spotted with white. Sexes alike. An
autumn moult_^ only.

266 CEETHIIDJS SALPORNIS

The genus includes a single species which is distributed over
the plains of India and tropical Africa, ranging as far south as
Mashonaland. The Indian Salpornis spilonotus (Franklin) only
differs from the African SaliJornis salvadorii (Bocage) in having the
face and central tail-feathers of a slightly lighter shade.

^y/ 154. Salpornis spilonotus salvadorii. African Spotted Creeper.

Halypsornis salvadorii, Bocage, Jor7ial. Acad. Lisboa, 1878, pp. 198,

211 ; id. Orn. d' Angola, p. 289, pi. x (1881).
Salpornis salvadorii, Gadoiu, Cat. B. M. viii, p. 330 (1883) ; Shelley,

Ibis, 1882, p. 255 ; 1899, p. 366, id. P. Z. S. 1888, p. 37 ; id. B. Afr.

i, p. 11 (1896) ; Sharpe, ed. Laijard's B. S. Afr. p. 835 (1884) ; id.

Ibis, 1891, p. 590.
Salpornis emini, Hartlaub, P. Z. S. 1884, p. 415, pi. 37.

"Mangwidso" of the Mashonas (Marshall).

Description. Adult male. — Above, mantle and back black, each
feather tipped with v^hitish; rump and upper tail-coverts deeper
black tipped with roundish spots of white ; wing-coverts and quills
black tipped and barred with reddish - white, the three outer
primaries edged externally with whitish ; tail-feathers black crossed
by three interrupted bands of white and tipped with white, the two
centre feathers shaded with rufous-brown ; forehead rufous ; crown
blackish spotted with white ; eyebrow white ; streak through eye
black ; ear-coverts and sides of face variegated black and white ;
throat dull white with a few black spots ; rest of under surface
reddish-white, with subterminal spots of black to most of the
feathers ; under tail-coverts whitish (Bocage).

Iris brown ; bill dusky-brown ; tarsi and feet ash-brown.
Length in flesh 5*75, of skin 5*00; wing 3*30; tail 2-15; tarsus
0-65 ; culmen 0-65.

Adult female. — Eesembles the male in plumage.

Distribution. — Discovered by Anchieta at Caconda in Benguela,
where it is not uncommon, and where it has since been obtained by
Mr. Van der Kellen on the Kasinga river. Messrs. Jameson and
Ayres met with a pair on the Ganyani river in Mashonaland in
September, and Mr. Guy A. K. Marshall obtained an example near
Salisbury in October. It appears to be not uncommon in Nyasa-
land, having been collected at Zomba in August, and also at Fort
Hill and Ikawa. Mr. F. J. Jackson met with this Creeper at Save
on Mount Elgon, at a height of 6,000 feet, in February, and Emin

certhiid.t: salpornis 267

Pasha procured examples at Tobbo, Langomori, and Wadelai on
the Upper White Nile. The Indian S. spilonotus typicus appears
to be confined to the plains of India to the South of the Himalayas.

Habits. — But little has been recorded regarding the habits of the
African race of this interesting species. The following remarks from
the " Ibis" for 1882, p. 255, refer to a female shot by Mr. Ayres
on the Ganyani river in Mashonaland on September 17, 1881,
"A pair were seen creeping about the trunks and branches of the
large trees. From the state of the ovaries the hen was evidently
about to lay. The crop contained caterpillars."

Dr. Emin Bey, in a letter to Dr. Hartlaub (" P. Z. S.," 1884,
p. 416), remarks, *' During a walk through the ripe Eleusine-fields,
a small bird met my attention climbing up and down the haulms
and flying in short whips from one haulm to another. What could
it be ? Not a Nectarinia to be sure. The little unknown was very
silent. But how great was my pleasure and surprise as my shot
brought down a Certhia, certainly the first bird of this group met
with in Central Africa. All my efforts to procure more specimens
were fruitless."

This specimen was described and figured by Dr. Hartlaub in
the Zoological Society's "Proceedings" for 1884, p. 415, pi. 37,
under the name of Salpornis emini; but Capt. Shelley remarks
regarding a specimen subsequently collected by Emin Pasha at
Tobbo (" P. Z. S.," 1888, p. 37) :— " This is, no doubt, S. emini,
Hartl., but I can detect no character by which it can be separated
from S, salvadorii after comparing it with three specimens of the
latter, two from Benguela and one from Mashonaland."

Mr. F. J. Jackson shot a male and female of this Creeper on
February 11, on Mount Elgon in Central Africa, amongst acacia
trees.-(" Ibis," 1891, p. 590).

The following account of the Indian S. spilonotus is from the
" Fauna of British India " (Birds, vol. i, p. 333) Blanford
writes: — "These birds keep to the largest trees, running round
the stems in all directions and flying with a steady flight, not
unlike that of a Woodpecker, but swifter and more elegant. They
have a whistling note." " Mr. Cleveland found the nest in Gurgaon
on April 16. It was placed on a horizontal bough of a tree
and attached to a vertical shoot. It was cup-shaped, and com-
posed of bits of leaf-stalk and leaves, chips of bark, and the dung
of caterpillars, bound together by cobwebs ; it was very firm and
elastic. The nest contained two young birds and one egg. The

268 PEOMEEOPID^ PROMEROPS

latter was greenish-white, with a ring of blackish-brown specks
round the large end, and a few specks over the remainder of the
shell. It measured 0-68 x 0-53."

Family IX. PROMEROPID^.

The family PromeropidcB contains two species only of peculiar
Long-tailed Sugar-birds or Honey- suckers, whose range is con-
fined to South Africa. They were formerly placed among the
NectariniidcB or Sunbirds, or with the Meliphagidce or Austrahan
Honey-eaters; but they differ from both these groups in several
important points of structure. The family contains a single genus.

Genus I. PROMEROPS.

Type,
Promerops, Brisson, Ornith. ii, pi. 34 (1760) P. cafer.

Bill slender, slightly curved, about twice as long as the head,
the culmen ridged, the edges of the mandibles smooth, not serrated
as in the Nectariniidcd ; nostrils in a groove, longitudinal, opercu-
lated, uncovered by bristles or plumes. No rictal bristles. Tongue
extensile, semi-tubular, the dorso-lateral edges frayed out. Wing
short and rounded, with ten primaries ; the first about half as long
as the second, which is considerably shorter than the third; the
third, fourth, fifth and sixth about equal and longest ; the inner
webs of the second to the fifth broad and emarginate, especially
that of the fifth. Tail of twelve narrow feathers, very long and
much graduated. Tarsus moderately long, strong, scutellated
anteriorly, the sides covered by two plates ; toes long and strong,
especially the hinder; claws sharp and curved. Plumage non-
metallic; the feathers of the forehead narrow and shaft-like with
decomposed webs. Sexes alike, or nearly so, in colour, but the six
central tail-feathers of the male are longer during the breeding
season. Range confined to South Africa.

Key to the Species.

a. Forehead and crown buff-brown ; lower throat, upper

breast and sides of neck rufous-brown P. cafer, p. 269

h. Forehead and crown deep chestnut-red ; lower throat,

upper breast and sides of neck paler chestnut-red P. gurneyi,

p. 273

PROMEROPIDiE

PROMEROPS

269

Protnerops cafer.

155. Promerops cafer. Ca;pe Long-tailed Sugar-bird.

Merops cafer, Linn. Sijst. Nat. i, p. 183 (1766).

Upupa promerops, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 184 (1766).

Le Grand Sucrier ou Sucrier du Protea, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. vi, p. 139,

pis. 287, 288 (1808).
Promerops cafer, Shaw, Gen. Zool. viii, p. 143 (1811) ; Gray, Gen. B. i,

p. 97 (1847) ; Shelley, Monogr. Cinnyridce, p. 377, pi. 121 (1877) ;

270 PROMEROPID^ PKOMEROPS

Holub d Peheln, Ornith. Siidafr. p. 74 (1882) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's
B. S. Afr. p. 305 (1884) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix, p. 283 (1884) ;
Shelleij, B. Afr. i, p. 6 (1896).

Promerops caffer, Laijard, B. S. Afr. p. 74 (1867).

" Zuiker-vogel " of the Dutch, in common with the Sunbirds.

DescrijJtion. Adult male in breeding plumage. — Above pale brown,
the feathers with dark brown centres : wings dark brown, the shafts
of the primaries white ; rump and upper tail-coverts olive-yellow ;
tail feathers greyish-brown, their shafts dark brown ; the stiff shaft-
like feathers of forehead and crown buff-brown merging into brown
on the occiput ; lores black, prolonged down the sides of the throat ;
sides of head and neck rufous-brown ; ear-coverts brown ; cheeks
and upper throat white, separated by a black streak, the shafts of
many of the feathers prolonged into bristles ; lower throat and upper
breast rufous-brown, many of the feathers with white shafts and
tips; vent and under tail-coverts bright yellow; rest of under
surface white, broadly streaked with brown on the sides and flanks ;
under wing-coverts brown ; under surface of quills dusky.
Iris dark brown ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length 17-00 to 19-50; wing 3'80 ; tail 11-5 to 14-00 (the
six centre feathers prolonged from 6-25 to 8-75 beyond the next
longest) ; the three outer feathers on each side much graduated ;
tarsus 0-90 ; culmen 1-30.

Adult female. — In colour like the male but paler ; the tail much
shorter.

Length 9-50; wing 3* 30; tail 5-10; tarsus 0-85; culmen 1-20.
Young. — Hatched naked, but soon becoming covered with
black down. On first leaving the nest the upper surface is brown,
the feathers with rufous margins and tips ; cheeks, throat, edge of
wing and centre of abdomen white ; malar streak black ; remaining
under surface of body a lighter brown than the back ; under tail-
coverts brownish.

Distrihutio7i.—Con^iOLQdi to Cape Colony, and most abundant
towards its south-western extremity, becoming rare to the east of
Grahamstown. Its range appears to coincide with that of certain
sugar-bushes (proteas).

Habits. — The Cape Long- tailed Sugar-bird is rarely found at
any great distance from its favourite protea-bushes but in districts
where these shrubs grow luxuriantly these birds are frequently very
numerous and generally resident. When not nesting they are
usually met with in flocks of a dozen or more, busily engaged in

PROMEROPID^ PROMEROPS 271

hunting through a thicket of proteas in search of nectar and various
small insects.

When sucking up the nectar of one of the larger protea-blossoms,
the bird perches on the edge of the flower, plunges its long bill and
the greater part of its head downwards among the petals, and
retains it in this position until satisfied. As a result the narrow,
shaft-like feathers of the forehead frequently become saturated and
stained with juice and dusted over with pollen and it is probable
that this bird plays an important part in the cross-fertilisation of
several species of protea. At times these Sugar-birds feed on the
saccharine juices of the aloe, the Cape honeysuckle, and several of
the larger heaths, as well as on spiders, small beetles and a variety
of smaller insects. They are expert fly-catchers, darting upon
passing insects from their perch and rarely missing their mark.

Towards the end of April or beginning of May, the males, when
not feeding, fighting, or chasing one another with shrill cries, may
be usually seen perched on the summit of some prominent bush or
young pine-tree, their long, flexible and curved central tail-feathers
blowing about in the wind, often in a reversed curve over the bird's
head. At intervals one of them will mount twenty or thirty feet in
the air, incline his body backwards, violently jerk his tail up and
down, and at the same time rustle the feathers together, and bring
his wings with sharp, resounding " claps " against his sides, before
returning to his perch to indulge in an outburst of song. Occa-
sionally a male may be seen to throw the longer tail-feathers into a
double curve.

At the same season the hens amuse themselves by flying round
and round in a small circle.

This Sugar-bird breeds in winter, in May, June and July, the
flowering season of one of the larger white proteas. The nest,
usually completed towards the end of May, is somewhat large,
deeply cup-shaped, and strongly built of small sticks and twigs of
heath, fibrous rootlets, dry grass, and the spines of pine trees, lined
with pine leaves and the red downy seeds of a protea. It is care-
fully concealed, sometimes in a tuft of heath near the ground, at
others in the crotch of a protea-bush four or five feet above it, but
more generally in the neighbourhood of Cape Town, in a thick
young pine tree from four to ten feet above the ground. On one
occasion I found a nest built on some broken-down sedge in a
swampy hollow. Two eggs are laid, and these are incubated, as
far as I have observed, by the female only. She sits very closely,

272 PKOMEEOPID^ PROMEROPS

Prom'ero^s ca;pensis, male " showing ofi."

PEOMEROPID^ PROMEROPS 273

with her long tail projecting at an angle over the edge of the nest.
The eggs are hatched at the end of fifteen or sixteen days and the
young remain in the nest for about five weeks. The eggs, usually
laid about the end of May or early in June, vary considerably in
size, shape and colour ; some are much elongated, others rounded
ovates. As a rule the ground colour varies from light buff to
reddish-brown ; this may be more or less covered with blotches,
scrawls, and zig-zag markings of deep purplish black, or with
finer spots and lines of brown. Many eggs resemble those of the
European Bunting {Ember iza miliaria) ; others, as far as colour
goes, those of many of the Sunbirds ( Nectar iniidce). They average
100 X 0-72.

156. Promerops gurneyi. Natal Lmi^-tailed Sugar-bird.

Promerops cafer {)iec Linn), Gurneij, Ibis, 1862, p. 27.

Promerops gurneyi, ./. Verreaitx, P. Z. S. 1871, p. 135, pi. viii ; Shelley,

Monogr. Cinnijridce, p. 381 (1877) ; id. B. Afr. i, p. 7 (1896) ;

Barratt, Ibis, 1876, p. 202 ; Sharpe, ed. Laijard's B. S. Afr. p. 306

(1884) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix, p 284 (1884).

Description. Adult male. — (N. W. Transvaal, Jan. 16, 1889).
Like the male of P. cafer, but with the tail much shorter ; the
lanceolate feathers of the forehead and crown deep chestnut-red
with pale shaft markings, forming a distinct cap ; the sides of neck,
lower throat, and upper chest paler chestnut-red, many of the chest-
feathers with whitish tips ; the upper surface of body tinged with
olive ; cheeks and throat whitish separated by a row of dusky
spots.

Iris dark brown ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length 11-00 ; wing 3-90 ; tail 6-50 ; tarsus 0-85 ; culmen 1-25.

Adult female. — Eesembles the male, but is paler and duller in
tint, with a shorter tail.

Length 9-50 ; wing 3-30 ; tail 5-00 ; tarsus 0-85 ; culmen 1-20.

Distribution. — Locally distributed over Natal, Zululand, Gaza-
land, Swaziland, the Transvaal and the north-eastern districts of
the Orange Free State.

Habits. — This species is apparently only a winter visitor to
Natal. Near Pinetown it is not very common, but a certain
number appear annually and may be generally found feeding with
Sunbirds on the nectar of the Australian "■ Bottle-brush." They are
very tame and unsuspicious as a rule. Mr. Ayres remarks in " The
18

274 NECTAEINIIDiE

Ibis," "In habits this bird much resembles ^ec^armm natalensis,
its food also being the same, viz., nectar and small insects
especially spiders. I believe it is only to be found during the
winter months in Natal." Mr. Barratt met with this Sugar-
bird in the Transvaal, between Pretoria and Lydenburg, in the
" zuikeibosch," or sugar-bush.

Family X. NECTARINIID^.

Bill cylindrical, pointed, elongated and curved, or moderately
short and nearly straight, the edges of both mandibles finely serrated
for the terminal half or third (serrations not always visible to the
naked eye) ; tongue cylindrical, tubular, bifid, each half frayed
out ventrally, and protractile ; nostrils basal and protected by
membrane. Wing rounded, of ten primaries, the first short. Tail-
feathers twelve. Tarsus moderate, scutellated anteriorly. Plumage :
males, as a rule, with some part of their plumage with metallic
colouring, and often with bright pectoral tufts during the breeding
season ; in winter they resemble the females, who are of plain
colours (with some exceptions ) during the entire year ; the young
resemble the female ; a single moult in the year.

Bill of Anthothreptes collaris (magnified) to show the serrations.

The Sunbirds are distributed over the greater portion of the
Ethiopian, Oriental and Australasian Eegions. About one hundred
and twenty species have been described, including eighty that
inhabit Africa. Of these, sixteen species and subspecies occur
to the south of the Zambesi and Cun^ne Eivers. Sunbirds feed
largely on the nectar of various flowers but also on small insects.
They all build domed nests, frequently with a projecting portico
over the side entrance, and usually suspend them from the outer
twigs or leaves of bushes and trees.

NECTABINIID^ NECTARINIA 275

The eggs of the South African species are invariably two in
number and are usually much mottled and spotted with dark
colours.

Key to the Genera.

a. Bill longer than the head and curved.

a^. Male only with metallic plumage in the breed-
ing season.
a\ Tail square, but the two centre feathers pro-
longed in the male during the breeding

season Necta rinia, p. 275.

bK Male only with metallic plumage in the breed-
ing season (except in C. vcrreauxi, where
both sexes are alike partly metallic ; and in
C. olivaceus, where both male and female are
without metallic plumes).
b'. Tail square, or nearly square, the two
centre feathers not prolonged in the
breeding male, or only slightly so, in C.

mariquensis Ciimyris, p. 278.

c\ Male only with luetallic plumage.

C-. Tail much graduated, wedge-shaped, less

so in the female AnthobapUes, p. 293.

b. Bill shorter than the liead and nearly straight.
d}. Both sexes with metallic plumage at all

seasons.
(p. Tail square, the centre feathers never pro-
longed Antliotlireptes, p. 296.

Genus I. NECTARINIA.

Type.
Nectarinia, Illiger, Prodr. p. 210 (1811) N. famosa.

Bill longer than the head and much curved. Nostrils with an
operculum but without bristles ; tongue bifid and frayed out medio-
ventrally ; wing : first primary very small, the second long, the
wing-tip formed by the third, fourth and fifth ; tail square, but in
summer the two central feathers are considerably prolonged in the
male. Tarsus scutellated anteriorly ; hind toe short ; claws short,
curved and sharp. Plumage : the males in the breeding season
with very rich metalhc plumage and with yellow pectoral tufts, at
other seasons like the females, which are dressed in very plain colours
at all seasons.

276 NECTARINIID^ NECTAEINIA

This genus is confined to Africa, one species only, out of the
nine described, being found to the south of the Zambesi.

Tiiese Sunbirds frequent rather open locaUties where flowering
bushes, especially proteas, grow. They feed on saccharine juices
and insects, and build domed nests, with overhanging porticoes,
suspended from the twigs or leaves of bushes. Two elongated eggs,
much streaked and mottled with dark colours, are laid.

^1

Nectarinia famosa.

(^ 157. Nectarinia famosa. Malachite Sitnbird.

Certhia famosa, Linn. Syat. Nat. i, p. 187 (1766).

Le sucrier malachite, Levaill. Ois. cVAfr. vi, p. 143, pis. 289, 290 (1808).

Nectarinia famosa, BurcJwU, Trav. S. Afr. i, p. 245 (1822) ; Layard,

B. S. Afr. p. 77 (1867) ; Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 68 (1872) ;

Shelley, Monogr. Cinnyridce, p. 13, pi. v. (1877) ; id. B. Afr. i, p. 2

(1896) ; Gadoiv, Cat. B. M. ix, p. 5 (1884) ; Holub and Pelzeln, Orn.

Siidafr, p. 74 (1882) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. pp. 306, 830

(1884).

Description. Adult male in suvwier. — Entire head, body, and
lesser and middle wing-coverts brilliant metalhc malachite-green,
shot with gold on the head, neck, back and breast ; spot before eye,
greater wing-coverts and quills, under surface of wing, thighs, vent
and tail black ; the greater coverts, inner secondaries and tail-
feathers edged with metallic green.

Iris dark brown ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length 9-50 ; wing 3*00 ; tail (to end of two central feathers
which project 2-80 beyond the rest of tail) 5-00 ; tarsus 0-65 ;
culmen 1-25.

Adtilt female. — Above, pale earth -brown; wing - quills darker
brown, the secondaries edged with whitish ; tail - feathers dark
brown, the outer web of outermost white ; cheeks yellow ; below
pale brown, darker on the chest, sides and flanks, tinged throughout
with yellow ; vent and under tail-coverts w^hitish.

NECTARINIID.l^. NECTAKINIA 277

Iris dark brown ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length 6-00 ; wing 2-65 ; tail 2-20 ; tarsus 0-65 ; culmen llO.

Young. — Eesemble the female, but the males are yellower on the
under surface

Note. — Towards the end of the breeding season the males begin
to gradually lose their metallic plumage, as well as their long
central tail-feathers and end by assuming a dull garb like that of the
females. Young males after their first moult resemble adult males
in their winter dress ; they gain the metallic plumage and long
central tail-feathers at their second spring moult.

Distribution. — A common species over the greater portion of
Cape Colony, Southern Great Namaqua Land, the Orange Free
State, the higher districts of Natal and Zululand, extending over
the greater part of the Transvaal, but becoming rarer towards the
Limpopo River. It is local and somewhat scarce in Matabili and
Mashonalands, but ranges as far north as the Zambesi and Shire
River valleys.

Habits. — This large and beautiful Sunbird is a common resident
in nearly every district in which sugar-bushes (proteas) flourish,
being equally abundant on low ground but a few feet above the sea
level and on mountain slopes to a height of between six and seven
thousand feet. Among the higher foot - hills of the Drakensberg
Range in Natal it is especially numerous during the flowering of
the proteas in October and November. The Malachite Sunbird
feeds not only on the saccharine juices of various flowering shrubs
but also on insects which it finds among the petals, and especially
upon small beetles and spiders. Occasionally it catches flies on
the wing, and on one occasion I noticed a male catch and swallow
tw^o small lizards, but 1 imagine that such ** big game " is not often
indulged in. During the pairing season the brilliantly coloured
cocks are constantly fighting or chasing one another with rapid
flight and shrill cries through the bushes ; at this time too, the males / Q^jix'-^^'^
frequently indulge in a short, but melodious and somewhat loud . / -;di>*
song, usually uttered from the summit of a bush. The ordinary ^^/^ l^r
call-note of both sexes is a sharp single or double chirp. Unless '•^'*^^ * a/*^
they have been previously molested these are among the tamest of ^'^^ Q^''^^
birds and show great indifference to the presence of man. On /f^^^
the Cape Flats this Sunbird begins to build in August, among the
Drakensberg Mountains of Natal towards the end of October or
beginning of November. The nest is rather large and bulky, pear-
shaped, with a projecting portico over the side entrance. It is nearly

278 NECTARINIID^ CINNYRIS

always suspended from the outside twigs of a bush or tall weed, aud
is constructed of dry grass, the fibres of leaves and the smaller
stems of plants, bound together with cobwebs and frequently
decorated on the outside with bits of lichen. The interior is lined
with fine dry grass, hair, and occasionally feathers. The eggs,
invariably two in number, are elongated, of a pale brown ground-
colour, closely dotted and mottled all over with dark brown and
slate -grey. They average 0-84 x 0-52.

Genus II. CINNYRIS.

Type.
Cinnyris. Cuvier, Begn. Anim. i, p. 412 (1817) C. splendidus.

Bill much curved and pointed, longer than the head, the culmen
ridged ; nostrils basal, with an operculum but without bristles.
Wing with the first primary very short, the third, fourth and fifth
longest. Tail square or slightly rounded or graduated, shorter
than the wing. Tarsus scutellated anteriorly. Plumage : some
portion of the plumage of the males with metallic colouring during
the breeding season (except in C. olivaceus), and many of them with

Cinnyris gutturalis.

yellow, orange or scarlet ornamental pectoral tufts ; in winter the
males resemble the females in having very plain colours, with the
exception of C. ve7Teauxi, in which species both sexes alike have
submetallic colours and scarlet pectoral tufts.

About seventy species belonging to this genus are known. They
are distributed over the Ethiopian and Indo-Malayan Eegions, one
species having a very limited range in Palestine. From fifty to
sixty species and subspecies are found in the Ethiopian Eegion,
twelve occurring within our limits.

All the Cinny rides feed on the saccharine juices of flowers and
on insects. The males of all the South African species sing more
or less melodiously during the breeding season. They build domed

NECTARINIIDiE CINNYRIS 279

nests suspended from the outer twigs of bushes and trees, and rear
one or two broods in a season. The eggs are very dark in colour,
and invariably two in number in the South African species.

Keij to the Species {adult males).

a. Entire head, neck and upper surface of body

metallic-green or blue-green.

a}. Without pectoral tufts C mariquensis, p. 279.

b\ With yellow pectoral tufts.

a^. Breast and abdomen wliite, a narrow black

pectoral band C. lencogaster, p. 281.

Ir. Abdomen ash-brown, a narrow collar of
steel-blue followed by a scarlet chest-band.

a^. Chest-band scarlet, 0'75 wide C. afer, p. 282.

6^. Chest-band lighter scarlet ; 1*00 wide C. ludovicensis, p. 284.

c^. Chest-band darker scarlet ; 0*50 wide ... C. chalybeus, p. 284.

b. General plumage, above and below, soft velvety

black or brown ; without pectoral tufts ; fore-
head and throat metallic.
cK Lower throat and chest bright scarlet, the

feathers with subterminal bars of blue C. guffuraUs, p. 286.

d\ Chest velvety black or brown like the abdo-
men.
c\ Upper tail-coverts metallic.

r7\ General plumage velvety black C.amcihystimis,

p. 287

e^. General plumage velvety brown C. bra dshawi, ip. 289.

dr. Upper tail-coverts like the back and non-
metallic C. kirhi, p. 289.

r. Plumage above with a submetallic gloss.

e\ Sexes dissimilar: male with orange-red pec-
toral tufts ; throat and breast black ; centre

of abdomen and under tail-coverts white C. fiiscus, p. 290.

/'. Sexes similar. Entire under surface pale ash-
brown ; pectoral tufts scarlet C. verreaiixi, p. 291.

d. Sexes alike ; both without any trace of metallic
plumage ; above olive, below olive-yellow ; pec-
toral tufts yellow C. oUvaceus, p. 292.

158. Cinnyris mariquensis. Southern Bifasciated Sunbird.

Cinnyris mariquensis, Smith, A])^. Rep. Exp. 8. Afr. p. 53 (1836)
Shelley, Monogr. Cinnyridce, p. 211, pi. 65 (1877) ; id. B. Afr. i, p. 3
(1896) ; Gadoiv, Cat. B. M. ix, p. 44 (1884) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's
B. S. Afr. pp. 319, 832 (1884).

280 NECTABINIIDiE CINNYRIS

Nectariiiia bifasciata, Jardine, Monogr. Sunbirds, pp. 174, 250, pi. iv
(1843) ; Laijard, B. S. Afr. p. 77 (1867) ; Chajpnian, Trav. S. Afr.
Ajjjy. p. 407 (1868) ; Holub and Peheln, Orn. Siidafr. p. 73 (1882).

Cinnyris bifasciata, Giirney in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 70
(1872).

Description. Adult ??iaZe.— Entire head, throat, neck, back,
upper tail and lessei* and middle wing-coverts metallic golden-green,
shot with copper-colour on the head, neck, scapulars and lesser
wing-coverts ; greater wing-coverts and quills brown-black ; tail
black glossed with brown ; in front of eye a patch of velvety black ;
below the green throat a narrow band of steel-blue followed by a
broad belt of dark scarlet, many of the feathers edged with steel-
blue ; rest of under surface of body and wing black, some of the
outer under wing-coverts edged with steel-green.

Trides dark brown ; bill, legs and feet black.
. Length 5-20; wing 2-75 ; tail 2-10 ; tarsus 070; culmen 0-85.

Adult female. — Above, ash-brown, the upper tail-coverts black
broadly tipped with pale brown ; wings dark brown, the feathers
edged with paler brown ; tail greenish-black, the two outer feathers
edged externally and tipped with white ; crown and sides of face
ash brown ; eyebrow and cheeks white ; a black streak between eye
and bill ; below dull white, shaded with brown on the sides, with
yellow on the centre of breast and abdomen, the feathers of the
lower throat, upper breast and under tail- coverts mottled with
large brown centres ; under wing-coverts mottled brown and white.

Iris dark brown ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length 4-75 ; wing 2-45 ; tail 1-95 ; tarsus 0-70 ; culmen 0-80.

Young. — Eesembles the female in plumage.

Distribution. — Confined to South Africa. It has not been
recorded from Cape Colony or Natal, but has been obtained at
Illundi and Eschowe in Zululand, by Messrs. Woodward. In the
Transvaal it is a common species, the commonest Sunbird, accord-
ing to Mr. Buckley, from Pretoria to Matabililand. Sir A. Smith
collected specimens at Kurricbain and it occurs throughout Matabili
and Mashonalands, ranging as far north as the Zambesi. It is
found near Lake Ngami and is very common in Ondongo and not
uncommon in Damara Land, according to Andersson.

Habits.— My. Ayres writes in " The Ibis " for 1871, p. 150 ; "This
lovely little bird I first shot at some distance from the river
Limpopo, during the month of July. I found several feeding
amongst some aloes, but they were shy and difficult to obtain,

NECTARINIID^. CINNYEIS 281

Flowers being at this season exceedingly scarce, they frequently
hunted for small insects amongst the dry seed-tops of the high
grass, hovering round the stem as a Humming-bird would do, and
thus remaining stationary, but darting away immediately on my
approach, so that I found it difficult to get within forty or fifty
yards of them."

Andersson writes: "It is usually seen in pairs, and frequents
the banks of periodic streams ; I never saw it far away from such
localities."

159. Cinnyris leucogaster. Smith^Jifrkmi White-breasted Snnhird.

CimijTis leucogaster, Vieill. Nokv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xxxi, p. 515
(1819) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix, p. 40 (1884) ; Sliaiye, cd. Laijard's
B. 8. Afr. Index (1884) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 3 (1896).

Nectariiiia talatala, Smith, Apj). Bej}. Exp. S. Afr. p. 58 (1836) ;
Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pi. vii (1884) ; Holuh and Pelzeln,
Dm. Siidafr. p. 72 (1882).

Cinnyris talatala, Gnrney in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 72
(1872) ; Shelley, Monogr. Cinnyridce, p. 229, pi. 71 (1877) ; Sharpe,
ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 318, 813 (1884).

Description. Adult male. — Entire head, neck and upper surface
of body, also the lesser and middle wing-coverts, metallic-green,
shot with steel-blue on the forehead, lesser wing and upper tail-
coverts ; greater wing-coverts and quills dark brown with paler
edges ; tail - feathers blue - black edged with metallic - green and
violet ; chin steel-blue, merging into metallic-green on the throat
and this into metallic-violet on the upper chest, bordered below
by a band of black ; pectoral tufts pale yellow ; rest of under
surface white ; under wing-coverts and inner margins of quills pale
ash-brown.

Iris dark brown ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length 4-45 ; wing 2-30 ; tail 1-75 ; tarsus 0-65 ; culmen 0-80.

Adult female. — Above, crown, sides of head and back pale
earth-brown ; eyebrow paler brown ; wing-coverts and quills dark
brown with paler edges ; tail-feathers brown-black tipped with
whitish and edged with pale brown ; below, white tinged with
brown on the throat.

Iris dark brown ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length 4-15 ; wing 2-05; tail 1-50; tarsus 065 ; culmen 075.

Distribution. — Not rare in Natal and Zululand, more common
in Swaziland, Portuguese East Africa and the Transvaal, ranging

ki

282 NECTARINIID^ CINNYRIS

through MatabiUland, Mashonaland andBechuanaland into Ondoago,
the Okavango Eiver district and Benguela, and extending west-
ward into Damara and Great Namaqua Lands.

Habits. — Andersson remarks, in the ''Birds of Damara Land,"
p. 72 : "I only met with this exquisite little species in my journey-
ings to the Okavango, in the neighbourhood of which river it was
very abundant during the rainy season, being migratory, and arriving
a little before the commencement of the rains.

"I also found it very common, though exceedingly shy, on the
edge of the bush in Ondongo, where I obtained its nest on February
19 ; it was very large and strongly built, and resembled in form
and material that of C. fiisca ; it contained five small, oblong, and
pure white eggs. Another nest, taken on March 27, also contained
five eggs.

" This Sunbird is exceedingly lively in its habits, and at the
approach of the pairing-season it becomes inspired with the most
lovely and exquisite melodies ; in fact its voice is then enchanting
beyond description, being a concentration of the softest trilling and
melodious notes. I always found it either singly or in pairs."

In stating that this species lays five white eggs, Mr. Andersson
was almost undoubtedly mistaken. All the nests of this Sunbird
that I have seen, both in Natal and the Transvaal, have contained
two eggs only, greyish in ground colour, spotted and dotted all
over with slate colour and brown and averaging 0*72 x 0-50. The
nest resembles that of other Sunbirds in being domed and pendent.

7,,. • - .. .

160. Cinnyris afer. Greater Double-collared Sunbird.

Certhia afra, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 186 (1766).

Le sucrier a plastron rouge, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. vi, p. 176, pi. 300

(1808).
Cinnyris afra, Cuvier, Begn. Anim. i, p. 412 (1817) ; Gurney in

Andersson' s B. Damara Land, p. 70 (1872) ; Gadow Cat. B. M. ix,

p. 35 (1884).
Cinnyris afer, Shelley, Monogr. Cinnyridcc, p. 249, pi. 77 (1877) ; id.

B. Afr. i, p. 4 (1896) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 313, 830

(1884).
Nectarinia afra, Jardine, Sunbirds, pp. 169, 247, pi. 2 (1843) ; Layard,

B. S. Afr. p. 76 (1867) ; Holub and PeUeln, Orn. Sildafr. p. 72

(1882).
Description. Adult male. — Entire head, neck, throat, back and
lesser and middle wing-coverts metallic-green ; upper tail-coverts

NECTARINIID^ CINNYEIS 283

steel-blue ; greater wing-coverts and quills dark brown ; tail-
feathers brown-black, the outer edged with whitish ; almost the
entire breast bright scarlet, forming a broad belt, separated from
the green throat by a narrow line of metallic-steel-blue ; pectoral
tufts pale yellow ; abdomen, thighs and under tail and wing-coverts
ash-brown.

Iris dark brown ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length 5-50 ; wing 2*60 ; tail 2-25 ; tarsus 0-75 ; culmen 1-10.

Adult female. — Above, ash-brown ; wings darker brown ; tail-
feathers brown-black, the outer edged with whitish ; a slight
eyebrow whitish ; below much paler brown, the centre of body
yellowish ; edge of wing and under wing-coverts whitish.

Iris dark brown ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length 5'00 ; wing 2'50; tail 2-25 ; tarsus 0-75 ; culmen 1-10.

Young male. — Kesembles the female. Metallic feathers first
appear on the head and throat.

Distrihution. — Somewhat locally distributed over Cape Colony.
It is not found near Cape Town, but is a common species in the
neighbourhood of Swellendam, George, Knysna, Port Elizabeth,
Grahamstown and East London. In Natal and the Orange Free
State it is also abundant in certain districts though entirely absent
from others. It is found in Zululand and is common near Lyden-
burg and Eustenburg in the Transvaal, according to Mr. Ayres.
Mr. Buckley met with it in Swaziland. This species has been
recorded also from the Lake Ngami country by Chapman, but pro-
bably in error, as this district is within the range of the more
northern G. ludovicensis, and Andersson did not find G. afer in either
Great Namaqua or Damara Land.

Habits. — This very beautiful Sunbird inhabits both the forest
districts on the south coast and the more open grassy hillsides, but
unlike the Lesser Double-collared Sunbird, rarely frequents flower
gardens or the neighbourhood of houses. It visits a variety of
flowers, including many of the proteas and heaths, but is especially
fond of the flowering aloes, sucking nectar from their blossoms with
avidity, and also catching the numerous insects that frequent these
flowers for a similar purpose. The call-note of G. afer is a rather
shrill chirp, the spring-song of the male a somewhat loud, cheerful
and sustained melody, very pleasant to the ear.

The nest, the usual domed and pendent structure of the African
Sunbirds, is built of dry grass, fibres of bark, cobwebs, and occa-
sionally pieces of cast snake - skin, with a lining of hairs and
feathers,

284 NECTARINIID^ CINNYEIS

The two eggs are elongated in shape, the ground colour greyish,
but so thickly covered with mottlings and spots of brown and slate-
grey as to be almost invisible. They measure 0-72 x 0-52.

hSL/ 161- Cinnyris ludovicensis. Northern Double-collared Sunhird.

Cinnyris ludovicensis, Socage, Jorn. Lish. 1868, p. 41 ; Sharpe, ed.
Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 830 (1884) ; Shelleij, B. Afr. i, p. 4 (1896).
Cinnyris erikssoni, Trimen, P. Z. 8. 1882, p. 451, pi. xxxii.
Cinnyris afra erikssoni, Gadoiv, Cat. B. M. ix, p. 38 (1884).

Description. Adult male. — Similar to the male of C. afer in
colour, but with the scarlet breast-band lighter in shade and con-
siderably wider, measuring an inch in width in adults. It is also
smaller in size, with a shorter bill.

Iris dark brown ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length 4-65; wing 2 50 ; tail 2-00; tarsus 0-62; culmen 0-66.

Adult female. — Similar to the female of C. afer in plumage,
but smaller.

Length 4-50 ; wing 2-30 ; tail 1 65; tarsus 0-58; culmen 0'63.

Distrihution. — North Damara Land and Mossamedes, ranging
eastward to North Nyasaland.

Habits. — Mr. Eriksson met with this Sun])ird not uncommonly
" in the wooded ravines of the mountain range called Sheila,
rather over a hundred miles inland from the port of Mossamedes,
at Little Fish Bay. He describes its habits to be precisely those
of C. chalybeus and C. afer, both of which he had observed some
years before at Knysna in the Cape Colony, but which neither he
nor the late Mr. Andersson ever met with to the north of the
Orange Eiver" (Trimen in '' P. Z. S." 1882, p. 452).

Ipy 162. Cinnyris chalybeus. Lesser Double-collared Sunbird.

Certhia chalybea, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 186 (1766).

Le sucrier a double collier, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. vi, p. 178 (1808).

Cinnyris chalybeus, Cuvier, Begn. Anim. i, p. 412 (1817) ; Gurney

in Ande7'sson's B. Dajnara Land, p. 69 (1872) ; Shelley, Monogr.

CinnyridcE, p. 253, pi. 78 (1877) ; id. B. Afr. i, p. 4 (1896) ; Sharpe,

ed. Layard's B. 8. Afr. pp. 314, 831 (1884).
Cinnyris afra chalybea, Gadoiv, Cat. B. M. ix, p. 37 (1884).
Nectarinia chalybea, Burchell, Trav. 8. Afr. i, p. 221 (1822) ; Jardine,

Monogr. 8unhirds, pp. 166, 248, pi. i (1843) ; Layard. B. 8. Afr.

p. 75(1867).

NECTARINIID^ CINNYRIS 285

Description. Adult males. — Similar to C. afer in plumage, but
with the scarlet breast-band darker and narrower. Considerably
smaller than C. afer.

Iris dark brown ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length 5-00; wing 2-25; tail 1-90 ; tarsus 0-65; culmen O'SO.

Adult female. — Similar in colour to the female of C. afer, but
much smaller.

Length 410; wing 2-10; tail 1-80; tarsus 0-65; culmen 0-72.

Distribntion. — A common species over the greater part of Cape
Colony ; abundant in Little Namaqua Land, but does not appear
to range to the north of the Orange Eiver on the west coast.
It extends throughout the Eastern Colony and Kaffraria, and
thence through Natal, Zululand, and the Orange Free State into
the Transvaal and Matabililand.

Habits.— Owing to its habit of frequenting flower gardens, its
tameness, and the brilliant and showy plumage of the male, the
present is probably the most generally recognised and best known
of the South African Sunbirds. Like all its congeners it feeds
both on small insects and the nectar of flowers. When extracting
the latter it frequently hovers, Humming-bird like, with quivering
wings, in front of the flower, then suddenly darts away to another
to go through the same performance. Other Sunbirds occasionally
poise themselves on their wings in front of flowers, but none so fre-
quently as this species. Both male and female are extremely quick
and agile on the wing, frequently darting to and fro with such
rapidity that the eye can scarcely follow their movements. In spring
the males are pugnaciously inclined, and spend a large portion of
their time in chasing and being chased by rival males. At the
same season the cock, whose ordinary note is a low chirp, becomes
endowed with a soft warbling song, which he frequently utters
from the spray of some bush not far from the haunts of the female.

The nest, built in August or September in Cape Colony, is a
small, domed, pear-shaped structure, with a projecting porch over
the side entrance, and is usually suspended from the outer twigs
or leaves of a low bush. It is rather loosely constructed of fine
dry grass, various fibres and cobwebs, and is lined with feathers
and hair. Sometimes this Sunbird takes possession of a cater-
pillar's nest, re-lines it, and lays its eggs in the interior. The two
eggs resemble those of C. afer in beiag grey, thickly spotted and
mottled with brown and slate colour, but they are smaller,
averaging 0*66 x 0.45.

L>^2

286 NECTARINIID^ CINNYEIS

163. Cinnyris gutturalis. Scarlet-chested Simbird.

Certhia gutturalis, Linnceus, Syst. Nat. i, p. 186 (1766).

Le sucrier protee, Levaillant, Ois. d'Afr. vi, p. 165 (1808), part.

Nectarinia natalensis, Jardine, Monogr. Sunhirds, pp. 193, 256, pi. 12

(1843) : Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 80 (1867).
Nectarinia senegalensis, StricMand and Sclater, Contr. Orn., 1852, p.

153; Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 80 (1867).
Chalcomitra guttiu'alis, Gm-ney in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p.

73 (1872) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 4 (1896).
Cinnyris gutturalis, Shelley, Monogr. Cinnyridce, p. 261, pi. 81 (1877) ;

Sharjw, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 311, 830 (1884) ; Gadow, Cat.

B. M. ix, p. 91 (1884).
Nectarinia gutturalis, Shai-pe, Cat. Afr. Birds, No. 364 (1871) ; Holuh

and Pelzeln, Orn. Siidafr. p. 73 (1882).

Description. Adult male. — Entire head and body soft velvety
black shaded with brown on the back; the forehead, centre of
crown and cheeks glossed with metallic dark green, the upper
throat with golden-green ; centre of lower throat and chest bright
scarlet, each feather with a subterminal bar of metallic blue ; wing
and tail golden-brown, a patch at the bend of wing metallic-black
changing to violet and purple in certain lights ; under wing-coverts
black ; quills below dark golden-brown.

Iris dark brown ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length in flesh 6-00, of skin 5*75 ; wing 3-00 ; tail 2-25 ; tarsus
0-70; culmen 1-10.

Adult female. — Above, earth-brown ; eyebrow and cheek dull
white ; wing and tail-quills brown slightly tipped with whitish ;
below buff-white, the throat, sides and flanks tinged with brown,
the throat and chest mottled with dark brown ; edge of wing and
outer edge of primary coverts white ; under wing-coverts mottled
brown and white ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length 5-25; wing 2-60 ; tail 2-00; tarsus 0-60 ; culmen 1-00.

Young male. — At first resembles the female ; the change to the
adult male plumage is first seen on the throat.

Ohs. — The adult female of this species closely resembles the
female of C. amethystinus ; the chin and throat are, however, paler
and more distinctly mottled with dark brown in the former, and, in
addition, the primary coverts are edged with white.

Distribution. — East, South-east, and South-west Africa : ranging
on the east coast from Mombasa to the Great Fish Eiver in Eastern
Cape Colony ; on the west from the Congo Eiver to Damara Land.

NECTAEINIID^ CINNYKIS 287

This species is found rather commonly in Pondoland, Natal and
Zululand, and extends through the greater portion of Swaziland,
the Transvaal, Matabili and Mashonalands as well as Portuguese
East Africa. It is very abundant in the Zambesi valley, and was
obtained by Dr. Holub at Pandamatenka.

Habits. — This large and brilHantly coloured Sunbird, although
not so abundant as C. amethijstinus^ is common in Natal and Zulu-
land during the entire year, but, during the hot season, it leaves the
coast for the cooler highlands. It feeds largely upon the nectar of
flowers, and, like some of the other Sunbirds, is particularly attracted
by the scarlet blossoms of the " Kaffir Boom." I have also noticed
this species return, day after day, together with Black Sunbirds,
Gurney's Sugar-birds, and Cape Weaver-birds, to an Australian
"Bottle-brush," and feed with avidity on the sweet juice of the
flowers, as well as on the various insects that frequented them. It
feeds also on spiders, small grubs, caterpillars, and termites. During
the breeding season the male has a very sweet song of several clear
" warbling " notes. The call-note of both sexes is a loud and shrill
"chirp." The nest, completed about the end of December in Natal,
is suspended from the extremity of the branch of a fruit tree, the
outer twig of a bush, or the drooping leaves of a " Gum-tree " or
" Black Wattle." It is pear-shaped, built of dry grass, wool, fibres
of bark or the stems of plants, matted together with cobwebs, and
ornamented with bits of bark and lichen. The lining is usually of
hair or feathers. The side-entrance is always sheltered by an over-
hanging porch. The two eggs are greyish, thickly mottled and
streaked with brown and purplish-brown. They measure 0-75 x

(^yh 164. Cinnyris amethystinas. Biccck Sunbird.

Le sucrier velours, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. vi, p. 160, pi. 294 (1808).
Certhia amethystinus, Shaw, Gen. Zool. vii, p. 195 (1811).
Nectarinia amethystina, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 79 (1867).
Cinnyris amethystinus, Shelley, Monogr. Cinnyr, p. 269, pi. 84 (1877) ;
-Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 315, 831 (1884) ; Gadow, Cat.
B. M. ix, p. 97 (1844).
Chalcomitra amethystina, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 4 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — All over a soft velvety black with a
purplish shade ; centre of crown briUiant metallic-green ; cheeks,
throat, least wing and upper tail-coverts rich metallic violet-purple,
changing to coppery-red in some lights.

^^r tJ^iu,^^ i>^ ...^^ -y-e^^^oA.^

288 NECTAEINIID^ CINNYEIS

Iris dark brown ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length 5-60 ; wing 2-90 ; tail 2-10 ; culmen 1-15 ; tarsus 0'65.

Young male. — At first resembles the female ; at a later stage the
front of crown and throat are as in the adult ; the lower throat
sooty black ; remaining plumage as in the female.

Adult female. — Above, earth-brown tinged with olive ; wings and
tail dark brown, the wing-coverts and secondaries with pale edges ;
below, mottled with dark brown and yellowish, the throat browner,
the abdomen and under tail-coverts yellower; edge of wing whitish.

Wing 2-50 ; tail 1-80.

Distribution. — Cape Colony to the east of Swellendam, ranging
throughout Natal, Zululand, Swaziland, and the Transvaal, and
extending as far north as the Limpopo Eiver. Not found on the
west coast.

Habits. — In its habits the present species closely resembles the
Scarlet-chested Sunbird, both frequenting much the same locali-
ties and visiting the same flowers in search of nectar and insects.
In Natal the '* Kafiir Boom," a tree that bears bright scarlet
blossoms in winter when otherwise destitute of foliage, is a favourite
hunting ground with both species, and so closely does the nearly
black plumage of C. amethystiiius assimilate in colour with the
dark naked branches of the tree, that as long as the bird is still, it
is not easily distinguished on its perch. At other times this Sun-
bird visits the flowers of the Cape honeysuckle, the aloe, mimosa,
and many other shrubs. Occasionally it feeds on insects, but not,
I imagine, to any great extent. It is found most numerously on
the outskirts of the forest or bush, in gardens, fruit-orchards or
among the trees and bushes that fringe rivers and streams. The
male has a clear and pleasant song, and a somewhat loud and shrill
call-note.

The domed pear-shaped nest is suspended from the twig of a
bush, the extremity of one of the boughs of a fruit-tree, or some-
times, at a considerable height, from the long pendent leaves of a
blue gum-tree. It is rather roughly built of dry grass, small
twigs, bits of bark, and cobwebs, and is lined with feathers and
hair ; usually an overhanging portico shelters the small side
entrance. The eggs, always two in number, are cream-coloured,
thickly spotted, mottled and streaked with purplish-brown and
dark grey ; they measure 0*72 x 0-50.

NECTARINIID^ CINNYBIS 2b\i

165. Cinnyris amethystinus bradshawi. Bradshaw's Sunbird.
Cinnyris bradshawi, Shar;pe, Ibis, 1898, p. 137.

Description.—" This seems to be a small form of C. amethystinus
and has metallic purpUsh upper tail- coverts. It is closely allied to
C. deminutus of Angola, and has even a smaller bill than that race.
The general colour of the plumage is velvety-brown and not black,
as in C. amethystinus.'' (Sharpe.)

Distribution. — From the Zambesi (Bradshaw), to Witu, on the
coast of British East Africa. ^

^^ 166. Cinnyris kirki. Kirh's Sunbird.

Nectarinia amethystinia, KirJc, Ibis, 1864, p. 320.

Cinnyris ku'kii, Shelley, Monogr. Cinnyridce, p. '273, pi. 85 (1877) ;

Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. 8. Afr. p. 317 (1884).
Cinnyris amethystina kirki, Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix, p. 97 (1884).
Clialcomitra kirki, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 4 (1896).

Description. Adult male. "Differs from the male of C.
amethystinus in being rather smaller and in having the upper
tail-coverts blackish-brown like the back, with no portion of them
metallic" (Shelley).

Iris dusky ; bill, legs and feet black (Ayres).

Length 4*80 ; wing 2o5 ; tail 1-85 ; tarsus 0-65 ; culmen 0.95.

Adult female. — Similar in plumage to the female of C.
amethystinus.

Wing 2-45 ; tail 1-65 ; tarsus 0-60 ; culmen 0-95 (Shelley).

Distribution. — From Salisbury, Hartley and the Umvuli Eiver,
in Mashonaland, to the Zambesi, and thence northward to Lamu
on the east coast.

Habits. — Sir J. Kirk found this species on the Zambesi, feeding
with other Sunbirds on low flower-bearing bushes, " searching the
corallas for insects, and probably sucking the saccharine juices."
The Rev. F. A. Buxton writes in the "Ibis" for 1881, p. 125; that
at Mombasa, on the east coast, " This and all the preceding species
of this genus are very fond of sucking the sap which flows from the
young shoots of the cocoa-nut tree, when cut, as it oozes into the
calabashes put for its reception."

On the Umvuli River, in Mashonaland, Messrs. Jameson and
Ayres met with this Sunbird towards the end of August and
beginning of September, feeding, along with C. gutturalis, on the
flowers of the " German-sausage tree."
19

^?7

290 NECTARINIID^ CINNYRIS

Mr. F. J. Jackson found its nest at Merereni, on the east coast,
" suspended from the end of the branch of a mangrove, at the edge
of a creek, in July."

167. Cinnyris fuscus. White-vented Sunhird.

Le sucrier namaquois ou h, cale9on blanc, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. vi, p.

168, pi. 296 (1808).
Cinnyris fuscus, Vieill. Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xxxi, p. 506 (1819) ;

Gurneij in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 71 (1872) ; Shelley ,

Monogr. Cinnyridce, p. 285, pi. 89 (1877) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix, p.

75 (1884) ; Sharjje, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 317, 832 (1884).
Nectarinia fusca, Jardiiie, Monogr. Sunbirds, pp. 183, 252, pi. 8 (1843)

Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 79 (1867) ; id. Ibis, 1868, p. 244 ; Chajnnan,

Trav. S. Afr. ii, App. p. 407 (1868).
Elseocerthia fusca, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 5 (1896).

Description, Adult lyiale. — Head, neck, back, lesser wing-
coverts, throat and upper breast blackish-brown, glossed with
metallic-violet or coppery-bronze; rump brown, unglossed, or only
slightly so ; upper tail-coverts blackish-brown glossed with metallic-
violet and purple ; tail-feathers black edged with violet ; greater
wing-coverts and quills brown ; lower breast, abdomen and thighs
unglossed black ; pectoral tufts orange-red ; vent greyish ; under
tail-coverts white ; axillaries and under wing-coverts black.
Iris dark brown ; bill, legs and feet black.
Length 4-80 ; wing 2-30 ; tail 1-65 ; tarsus 0*65 ; culmen 0-85.
Adult female. — Sides of head and neck and entire upper surface
light brown ; eyebrow whitish ; ear-coverts brown ; wing-quills
brown with paler edges ; upper tail-coverts and tail black, the
coverts slightly glossed with blue ; below dull white ; under tail-
coverts pure white ; thighs mottled brown and buff ; edge of wing
black and white ; under wing-coverts brown.
Iris brown ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length 4*40 ; wing 2-10 ; tail 1-60 ; tarsus 0*65 ; culmen 0'70.
Young. — Eesemble the female, the young male being distin-
guished by a blackish band on the lower throat.

Distribution. — South-west Africa, ranging as far south as the
Olifant Eiver in Cape Colony. Very abundant in summer in
Northern Cape Colony bordering on the Orange Eiver, as at
Upington (Bradshaw), Hopetown (T. Atmore), and Colesberg
(Ortlepp). Equally common in Griqualand West and in South
Bechuanaland, as well as in Great Namaqua and Damara Lands,

^f?'

NECTARINIID^ CINNYRIS 291

where, according to Andersson, it is especially numerous near the
coast.

Habits. — This sombrely coloured and unobtrusive Sunbird often
frequents very desolate localities, such as sand-dunes on the coast, on
which a scanty growth of scrubby bushes contrives to exist, or the
scarcely more attractive desert karoos further inland.

In summer the bright orange breast -tufts of the male frequently
attract attention, or, sometimes his subdued but pleasant song,
while the very plainly dressed female generally escapes notice
altogether. This species appears to be more insectivorous in its
diet than are the majority of Sunbirds, but it feeds at times on the
saccharine juices of flowers. The rather small nest is hung from
the outer twigs of a bush ; it is oval and domed, constructed of fine
dry grass, soft fibres of bark, wool and cobwebs, lined with feathers
and hair.

The eggs, two, and, according to Ortlepp, sometimes three in
number, are white, spotted and mottled with dark and light
purplish-brown.

They measure 0.65 x 0-42.

168. Cinnyris verreauxi. Mouse-coloured Sunbird.

Ciimyris verroxii, Smith, S. Afr. Quart. Jo urn. 1831, p. 13 ; id. III.

Zool. S. Afr. Birds, pi. 57 (1839).
Nectarinia verroxii, Jardine, Monogr. Sunhirds, pp. 185, 253, pi. 9

(1843) ; Laijard, B. S. Afr. p. 76 (1867).
Cinnyris verreauxi, B^. Consp. Av. i, p. 407 (1850) ; Shelley, Monogr.

CinmjridcB, p. 287, pi. 30 (1877) ; Gadoiv, Cat. B. M. ix, p. 74 (1884) ;

Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 309 (1884).
Elaeocerthia verreauxi, Shelley, B. Afr, i, p. 5 (1886).

Descriptio7i. Adult male. — Above, upper surface of body as
well as the middle wing-coverts, metallic-green, the bases of the
feathers olive-brown ; greater wing-coverts and quills dark brown
with paler edges ; tail-feathers black edged with brown ; crown like
the back ; a black spot before the eye ; ear-coverts dusky ; below,
pale ash-brown ; pectoral tufts bright scarlet ; under wing-coverts
white tinged with olive.

Iris dark brown ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length 5*25 ; wing 2*45 ; tail 2-00; tarsus 0-70 ; culmen 0*90.

Adult female. — Similar to the male in plumage.

Distribution. — South-eastern Cape Colony, Natal and Zululand.

Habits. — This Sunbird is found most abundantly in the thick .

&So

'^O^U^^A^O-Ct^-rr^yCi^ Tz^eja-^^itxL^' 7Lt£^^A'-iJ^^'t.<^i^^'^

292 NECTAEINIIDJi: CINNYKIS

belt of bush that fringes the coast of South-east Africa and is rarely
met with inland much beyond its limits. It is seldom seen on the
higher trees, but hunts assiduously through the lower growth of
bushes in search of small insects and the saccharine juices of various
flowering shrubs. Its call-note is a moderately loud single or double
" chirp." During the breeding-season the male frequently sings
from the top of a bush, in a low and soft warbling strain. The
nest, domed like that of all African Sunbirds, is suspended from
the outer twigs or drooping leaves of a bush. It is built of fine
dry grass, bark fibres, and sometimes cobwebs ; the interior is lined
with hair and feathers. The two eggs are whitish, thickly mottled
and spotted with markings of light and dark purplish-brown. They
measure 0-70 X 0-52.

fcOn 169. Cinnyris oliYaceus. Olive-coloured Sunbird.

Cinnyris olivacea, Smith, III. Zool. S. Afr. Birds, pi. 57 (1839) ;

Shelley, Monogr. Cinnyridcu, p. 289, pi. 91 (1877) ; Shar^e, ed.

Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 310 (1884) ; Gadoiv, Cat. B. M. ix, p. 78

(1884).
Nectarinia olivacea, Jardine, Sunbirds, pp. 186, 253 (1843) ; Layard,

B. S. Afr. -p. 18 {1869).
Cyanomitra olivacea, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 5 (1896). " ^ ' ' " ^ ''^'■

Description. Adult male. — Above, olive-green, darker on the
crown, yellower on the upper tail-coverts ; wings and tail dark
brown, the feathers edged with olive-yellow ; below, pale olive-
yellow ; pectoral tufts bright yellow.

Iris dark brown ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length 5-50 ; wing 2-70 ; tail 2-50 ; tarsus 0-65 ; culmen 110.

Adult female. — Similar to the male in plumage, but slightly
smaller.

Length 5-00; wing 2-40 ; tail 2-00 ; tarsus 0-65; culmen 1-00.

Distribution. — From Eastern Cape Colony through Natal and
Zululand to Portuguese East Africa.

Habits. — This inconspicuous Sunbird, entirely without metallic
plumage, is chiefly confined to the coast bush on the east coast,
but ranges for some distance inland. It frequents both the higher
trees and bushes, and, according to Ayres, " is particularly fond of
shady banana groves, taking the nectar from the long drooping
flowers of the plant, and chasing one another about with great
pertinacity."

^^ iJcL C^iU<yi^- A^</«SUO.>-v.^ /^<>^£A/^^>-^ ^<^Vv

NECTARINIID^ ANTHOBAPHES 293

At Pinetown, in Natal, it breeds in November. The domed
and pear-shaped nest is constructed of fine fibres, dry grass, and '
cobwebs, Hned with feathers, and is hung from one of the outer
twigs of a bush or low tree. The eggs, two in number, are light
brown mottled with dark brown and purple. They measure 0-70 |

X 0-50.

Genus III. ANTHOBAPHES. ^

Type. ^

Anthobaphes, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. i, p. 103 (1850) A. violacea.

Bill longer than the head, the culmen rounded and curved
downward ; nostrils with an operculum, basal, exposed, without
nasal bristles. Wing : the first primary short, the wing-tip formed
by the third, fourth and fifth. Tail graduated or wedge shaped,
the two centre feathers prolonged beyond the others ; the tail in
the female shorter and less graduated. Tarsus scutellated an-
teriorly. Plumage : the adult male with the head and fore part of
the body richly metallic, and with yellow pectoral tufts ; the female
of very plain colours. Ooe species only of this genus is known
whose range is confined to Cape Colony.

^^

170. Anthobaphes Yiolacea. Orange-breasted Sunbird.

Certhia violacea, LinncBus, Syst. Nat. i, p. 188 (1766).

Le sucrier orange, Levaillant, Ois. d'Afr. vi, p. 152, pi. 292, figs. 1 and 2

(1808).
Nectarinia violacea, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 78 (1867) ; Holub and

Pelzeln, Orn. Siidafr. p. 73 (1882).
Anthobaphes violacea, Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 74

(1872) ; Shelley, Monogr. CinmjridcB, p. 23, pi. 8 (1877) ; id. B.

Afr. i, p. 6 (1896) ; Gadoiv, Cat. B. M. ix, p. 11 (1884) ; Sharpe, ed.

Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 308 (1884).

Description. Adult male. — Head, neck, upper back, least wing-
coverts, and throat brilliant metallic-green with violet reflections,
merging into metallic violet-purple on the chest ; the bases of the
feathers unglossed dark slate-colour ; spot before eye and chin
black ; lower back and upper tail-coverts olive-yellow ; wing and
tail-feathers brown edged externally with olive-yellow ; lower breast,
abdomen and under tail-coverts orange-yellow, the breast tinged
with red, the flanks with olive ; thighs brown ; under wing-coverts
light brown ; pectoral tufts bright yellow.

294 NECTARINIID^ ANTHOBAPHES

Iris dark brown ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length 6-75 ; wing 2-25 ; tail, to end of two long centre feathers
3*20, of next 2*20 ; tarsus 0-65 : culmen 0'90.

Tail of Anthobaphes violacea. 5

Adtilt female. — Without metallic plumage ; above, olive-brown,
tinged with yellow on the lower back and upper tail-coverts ; wing
and tail - feathers brown bordered externally with olive-yellow ;
below paler olive-brown tinged with yellow on the abdomen ; under
wing-coverts greyish-yellow.

Length 5-00 ; wing 2-10 ; tail 1-80 ; tarsus 065 ; culmen 0-85.

Young males. — At first resemble the female. When about six
months old they have gained the orange-red breast and yellow
pectoral tufts, and metalUc feathers are commencing to appear
among the lesser wing-coverts and on the crown and throat ; the
tail is nearly square.

Distribution. — Confined to Cape Colony and most abundant
at its south-western extremity, on the Cape Peninsula, the
Hottentots Holland and Drakenstein Mountains. Fairly common
in Little Namaqua Land, but does not range to the north of
the Orange River, nor does it extend much to the east of
Grahamstown, its distribution being coincident with that of
certain heaths.

Habits. — The Orange- breasted Sunbird frequents open unculti-
vated country, rough hillsides, and the slopes and summits of moun-
tain ranges, and especially localities where various heaths and
proteas abound. It has a considerable vertical range, from the sea
level to a height of 4,000 feet or more, and being a hardy little bird,
seemingly indifferent to cold and wet, it is quite at home on the bleak
and foggy mountains of the coast ranges in Cape Colony. Of rather
tame and unsuspicious habits, the beautiful male frequently allows
a close approach as he sits on the summit of a low bush or spray

NECTARINIID^

ANTHOBAPHES

295

of heath, uttering at intervals a '' sparrow-Hke" chirp, or, during
the breeding season, a brisk and cheerful song. These Sunbirds
feed largely on the nectar of various heaths, occasionally on that
of proteas, also on small insects that frequent these flowers, and
on gnats and flies which they dart upon, like Flycatchers, from a
perch to which they constantly return. Like the Long-tailed Cape
Sugar Birds, they breed during the winter rains, the nests near
Cape Town being usually built in June and the eggs laid in July.
This coincides with the flowering season of certain heaths and
proteas, on whose nectar they feed their young. On one occasion
I found a nearly completed nest at the end of March. The nest,

Anthohajphes violacea and nest.

NECTABINITDiE ANTHOTHREPTES

oval and domed, with a small side entrance near the top, is built
of small flexible twigs of heath, dry grass, and narrow downy-
leaves, thickly lined with the soft white petals of a protea. It is
not pendent like the nests of other Sunbirds, but is attached by
its sides to the stalks in the centre of a thick bush of heath, a foot
or eighteen inches off the ground.

The eggs, two in number, are white, dotted all over, but most
thickly round the greatest diameter, with small spots and streaks
of greyish-brown. They measure 0*65 x 0-48. On one occasion
I noticed a female remove the eggs from a nest, from which I had
startled her, and place them under some thick undergrowth a few
feet away. She apparently carried them in her bill.

A second brood is frequently reared in September and October.
From December until March these Sunbirds are generally in small
family parties of four or six, the parents and their young, one of
the band being nearly always a male in full plumage, while one
or two are young males showing varying amounts of metallic
plumage.

Genus IV. ANTHOTHREPTES.

Anthreptes, Sivains. Fauna Bor.-Amer. Birds, p. 495 (1831)

A. malaccensis.

Bill shorter than or equal to the head in length ; both the
culmen and gonys nearly straight ; nostrils with an operculum,
basal, not concealed by plumes or bristles. Wing with the first
primary very short ; the tip formed by the third, fourth and fifth.
Tail square, or but slightly rounded, shorter than the wing.
Tarsus scaled anteriorly. Plumage : both sexes, and even the
nestling in A. collaris, with metalUc plumage. About twelve species,
ranging over the Ethiopian and Indo-Malayan Eegions, are included
in this genus. One species is found in South-eastern South
Africa, and a race on the Zambesi River and in Eastern Africa.

Sunbirds of this genus do not differ from the typical Cinnyrides
in their habits.

Key to the Species.

a. Upper surface metallic golden-green A. collaris^ (^,p. 297.

h. Upper surface metallic golden-copper A. collaris hypodilus,

$\ p. 298.

^Y

NECTARINIID^ j ANTHOTHREPTES 297

171. Anthothreptes collaris. ^Collared Sunbird.

Le sucrier gamtocin ou a cordon bleu, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. vi, p. 174,

pi. 299 (1808).
Cinnyris collaris, Vieill. Noitv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xxxi, p. 502 (1819).
Nectarinia collaris, Lai/ard, B. S. Afr. p. 77 (1867).
Anthodiaeta collaris, Shelley, Monogr. Cinmjridce, p. 339, pi. 110

(1877) ; Shar])e, ed. Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 320 (1884).
Anthothreptes collaris, Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix, p. 116 (1884) ; Shelley

B. Afr. i, p. 6 (1896).

Anthothreptes collaris.

Description. Adult male. — Above, including the head and least
wing-coverts, metallic golden-green ; greater coverts and secondaries
brown edged with metallic-green ; primaries brown edged with
olive-yellow ; tail-feathers black edged with metallic-green ; throat
metallic golden-green bordered below by a pectoral band of violet ;
rest of under surface yellow ; pectoral tufts bright yellow.

Iris brown; bill, legs and feet blackish.

Length 3-90 ; wing 2-10 ; tail 1-50 ; tarsus 0-65 ; culmen 0-50.

Adult female. Eesembles the male above, but the entire under
surface of body is yellow.

Young. — Eesemble the female ; nestlings even showing the
metallic plumage of the adult female, according to Captain Shelley.

Distribution. — From the Gamtoos Eiver in Cape Colony, where
it was first discovered by Levaillant, eastward through Eastern
Cape Colony, where it is rather locally distributed, to Natal and
Zululand. In Natal it is a common species, according to my own
observations, both on the coast and inland, but Mr. Ayres remarks
" these birds are decidedly scarce, though found throughout
Natal."

Habits. — These beautiful little Sunbirds frequent low, flowering
bushes and are rarely seen on the higher trees. I have met with
them in Natal, in winter, both in the thick bush near the coast, and
among scattered bushes in somewhat exposed localities further
inland. At this season they were invariably in large or small

Oi -

r>'-

298 ZOSTEBOPID^

parties, engaged in busily hunting over the leaves and flowers in

search of small insects and nectar. In Natal this Sunbird is double

P- brooded, the first young being hatched in January, the second in

^^^\Ky^' March. The domed nest, small, and neatly constructed of fine dry

yfyjtAi^^ grass lined with horsehair and feathers, is usually suspended, at no

C^ » ^^^Ly g^®^* height above the ground, from the outer twigs or leaves of

C^^^Ta^^^^is ^ thick bush, frequently from a young orange- tree. The eggs, in-

^ ^ ) ATft variably two in number, are greyish-white, thickly mottled and

^^^^ ^t1^ dotted with slate-grey and brown. They measure 0-58 x 0'42.

tJ^^\xt/^t ^^^* Anthothreptes coUaris hypodilus. 'Zambesi Collared Sunbird.

" '^ ^ -""^ Nectarinia hypodila, Jar^me, Cow^r. Orn. 1851, p. 153.

Anthodiseta zambesiana, Shelley, Monogr. Cinnyridce, p. 343, pi. iii,

(1877) ; SJiarpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 321 (1884).
Anthothreptes coUaris zambesiana, Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix, p. 117

(1884).
Anthothreptes hypodilus, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 6 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Similar to the male of A. coUariSf
but the metallic golden-green plumage of the latter is in ^. collaris
hypodilus replaced by metallic golden copper-colour, and the secon-
daries are tinged with green and glossed with golden copper-colour.

Iris dark brown ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length 4-00; wing 2-00 ; taill-50 ; tarsus 0-60; culmen 0-50.

Adult female. — Eesembles the male above, but is entirely yellow
below.

Young. — Eesemble the female.

Distribution. — From the south bank of the Zambesi to British
East Africa.

Habits. — Like those of A. collaris.

Family XL ZOSTEROPID^.

The ** White-eyes," so-called from the conspicuous ring of white
feathers which encircles the eyes of the majority of the species, are
birds of small size and very uniform style of coloration. Their
relationships are rather doubtful. By Dr. Sharpe and Captain
Shelley they are placed in a distinct family between the Tits
{Paridce) and the Oriental Flower-peckers {Dicmdce), by Mr.
Gates among the Brachypterygince and by Dr. Gadow among

ZOSTEROPIDiE ZOSTEROPS 299

the MeliphagidcB. The numerous species may be included in a
single genus.

Genus I. ZOSTEROPS.

Type.
Zosterops, Vigors and Horsf., Trans. Linn. Soc.

XV, p. 235 (1827) Z. caerulescens.

Bill about half the length of the head, slightly curved or nearly
straight, moderately slender and pointed, the upper mandible
generally notched, otherwise the edges of both mandibles smooth
in the majority of the species, including the South African, but in
others the upper mandible is said to be serrated (Evans, " Cambridge
Natural History," Birds, p. 568). The nostrils are pierced in a
large membrane in a broad groove. The tongue is protractile and
bifid, in some of the species smooth, in others with the tips frayed
out, " brush-tipped," and with the margins infolded. The wing
has ten primaries, but the outermost is so minute that it is seen
with difficulty, and, as pointed out by Mr. Gates, is generally found
over instead of under the second primary ; the second primary long,
the third, fourth and fifth the longest. The tail is short, about two-
thirds the length of the wing, square or slightly emarginated ; the
tarsus is moderately long ; the outer and middle toes are united at the
base. The plumage is never metallic nor streaked nor spotted, but
is, in almost all the species, of some shade of green, olive, yellow or
grey.

Nearly one hundred species of " White - eyes " have been
described, distributed over the Ethiopian, Griental and Australasian
Eegions. Two species occur in New Zealand, where they are
known as '* Blight-birds " from their feeding on one of the scale-
insects, others range as far east and north as China, Japan and
Amoor Land. Thirty species occur in Africa, including Madagas-
car and the Comoro Islands, but only four range to the south of the
Zambesi Eiver. In their actions when feeding and in many of their
habits the " White-eyes " resemble the Tits, still more closely some
of the American MniotiltidcB. When not nesting they invariably
hunt in small parties and keep up a constant twittering as they
actively climb about bushes and trees, and carefully search the
leaves and flowers for small insects and saccharine juices. At
certain seasons they feed to some extent on soft fruit, but their
principal food at all times consists of various scale-insects. All the

^f<?

300 ZOSTEROPID^ ZOSTEROPS

White-eyes appear to lay unspotted pale blue eggs in small cup-
shaped nests built in trees or bushes.

Zosterops capensis.

Key to the Species.

a. Above olive-yellow; the forehead and ramp

yellower ; below bright yellow, the sides and

flanks tinged with olive Z. anderssoni, 300.

b. Above grass -green ; the forehead and under sur-

face bright yellow, the sides and flanks tinged

greenish Z. virens, p. 301.

€. Above olive-green ; the forehead, throat and under

tail- coverts yellow ; rest of under surface white

tinged with tawny Z. pallida, p. 302.

d. Above olive-green ; the forehead ohve-yellow ;

the throat and under tail- coverts bright yellow ;

rest of under surface light brown Z. capensis, p. 302.

173. Zosterops anderssoni. Andersson's White-eye.

Zosterops senegalensis, Sha7'pe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 325 (1884) ;

id. Cat. B. M. ix, p. 181 (1884). [nee Bp.]
Zosterops anderssoni, Shelley, Bull. B. 0. Club, 1892, i, p. 5 ; id. Ibis,

1893, p. 118 ; 1896, p. 180 ; id. B. Afr. i, p. 7 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above, crown, back and least and
middle v^ing-coverts, olive-yellow ; the forehead and rump yellower ;
greater wing-coverts, quills and tail-feathers brown edged with
yellowish ; lores black ; eye-ring white ; below, bright yellow, tinged
with olive on the sides and flanks.

Iris brown ; bill black; legs and feet dark brown.

Length 4-50 ; wing 2*45 ; tail 1-90 ; tarsus 0*65 ; culmen 0-45.

Distribution. — All Africa south of the Sahara, excepting the
forest region on the west coast and the extreme south. Obtained
by Andersson on the Okavango Eiver, but not either in Great
Namaqua or Damara Land ; by Anchieta in Mossamedes, and by
Whyte in Nyasaland.

^^^ ^rQ^-vfTj^^ i/^t^^.^^^/'O^-y^i^

^ ^-..-.^^/^t-tA-^ ISk^^U^^^

^h ^ - /^.t^^ ^.ju^^^u^

i/A/J.i-t^jr'-Zft^ <^

ZOSTEEOPID^ ZOSTEROPS 801

Habits. — Andersson writes, "It was only as I approached the
Okavango that I became aware of its existence. In the thornless
forests bordering upon this stream it is not uncommon, but it
migrates northwards during the dry season. It is found in small
flocks, and diligently explores in search of insects the branches of
the smaller trees, and especially the buds and flowers, suspending
itself in a variety of positions while it is thus employed."

/y

o 174. Zosterops virens. Green White- eye.

y

Zosterops virens, Bp, Consjjectus. i, p. 399 (1850) ; Layard, B. S. Afr.
p. 110 (1867) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S. Afr. p. 325 (1884) ; id.
Cat. B. M. ix, p. 182 (1884) ; Holub and Pelzeln, Orn. Sildafr. p.
75 (1882) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 7 (1896).

Description. Adult male. — Above, crown, back, rump and wing-
coverts, grass-green, tinged with yellow on the upper tail-coverts ;
primary - coverts, quills and tail - feathers dusky-brown edged with
green externally ; lores black ; eye-ring silvery white ; forehead,
front cheeks and under surface of body bright yellow, the sides and
flanks greenish ; axillaries bright yellow ; under wing - coverts
yellowish-white.

Iris pale tawny ; bill grey, tbe tip black ; legs and feet grey.

Length 4-80 ; wing 2-45 ; tail 2-00 ; tarsus 0-72 ; culmen 0-45.

Adult female. — Eather smaller and somewhat duller in colour.

Distribution. — Eastern Cape Colony, Natal, Zululand and the
Transvaal, ranging into Swaziland, Mosambique, Matabili and
Mashonalands and extending across the Zambesi Eiver into Nyasa-
land. Very common in the Kustenburg and Lydenburg districts of
the Transvaal.

Habits. — In its habits the Green White-eye does not differ ma-
terially from the commoner Cape species. It frequents brushwood
on the slopes of hills, the undergrowth of forests, and the thickets
on the banks of streams. Its call-note resembles that of Z. capensis,
but is perhaps not quite so loud. Like the latter species it feeds on
insects, nectar, and small soft fruits. It builds a similar nest and
Y lays four^pale blue (Ayres says white) unspotted eggs, measuring
0-64 X 0-48.

&IpQ>

J^'

302 ZOSTEEOPID^ ^ -^ ZOSTEEOPS

175. Zosterops pallida. Pale White-eye.

Zosterops pallida, Sivains. Anim. in Menag. p. 294 (1837) ; Laijard B.

S. Afr. p. 117 (1867) ; Sliarpc, ed. Layard's B. 8. Afr, p. 324 (1884) ;

id. Cat. B. M. ix, p. 160 (1884) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 7 (1896).
Zosterops lateralis, Siindev. (Efv. K. Vet.-AJcad. Fork. Stockh. 1850,

p. 101 ; Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 117 (1867).

Description. Adult male. — Above, olive-green ; wing-coverts like
the back ; upper tail-coverts yellower ; forehead and lores yellow ;
line before and under eye black ; eye -ring white ; ear- coverts and
sides of face olive-green ; wing and tail quills dark brown edged
externally with greenish; cheeks, throat, edge of wing and under
tail-coverts yellow ; rest of under surface white tinged with tawny,
the sides and flanks with grey-brown ; under wing-coverts white.

Length 4*75 ; wing 2-35 ; tail 2-00 ; tarsus 0-70 ; culmen 0-50.

Adidt female. — Kesembles the male in plumage.

Distribution. — The valley of the Orange Eiver, ranging into the
Southern Transvaal. Colesberg (Ortlepp).

. Habits. — Mr. T. Ayres, who met with this species in the Trans-
vaal, writes of it : " occasionally seen in small companies, actively
hopping and climbing about the hedges and trees during the winter
months."

176. Zosterops capensis. Cape White-eye.

y^' ^ Le tcheric, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. iii, pi. 132 (1802).

Zosterops capensis, Siindev. (Efv. K. Vet-Akad. Fork. Stockholm,
1850, p. 102 ; Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 116 (1867) ; Giirney in Anders-
son's B. Damara Land, p. 75 (1872) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard' s B. S.
Afr. p. 322 (1884) ; id. Cat. B. M, ix, p. 171 (1884) ; Shelley,
B. Afr. i, p. 7 (1896).

Zosterops madagascariensis, Holub a7id Pelzeln, Orn. Siidafr. p. 75
(1882).

" Witte-oogie," " Glas-oogie " and " Karre-oogie " of the Dutch.

Description. Adult male. — Above, with the wing-coverts, olive-
green, tinged with yellow on the rump and upper tail-coverts ;
wing and tail quills brown tinged externally with olive-green ;
forehead olive-yellow ; lores black ; eye-ring white ; ear-coverts
and sides of face green ; fore cheeks and throat bright yellow,
merging into light brown on the chest and abdomen, the sides
tinged with grey, the flanks with fulvous ; under tail-coverts and
tarsal joint bright yellow ; axillaries and under wing-coverts
yellowish- white.

ZOSTEROPID^ ZOSTEROPS 303

Iris brownish-yellow ; bill, legs and feet bluish-grey.

Length 4-75; wing 2-35 ; tail 185 ; tarsus 0-70; culmen 0*50.

Adult female. — Similar to the male in plumage.

Distribution. — Throughout Cape Colony and Natal, ranging
into Southern Great Namaqua Land, the Orange Free State, the
Southern Transvaal, and Zululand. A very common species in
most districts of Cape Colony, being abundant near Cape Town,
Swellendam, Knysna, Port Elizabeth, Grahamstown, and East
London, and more or less numerous over the greater portion of
the Karroo. Very abundant in Upper Natal, less so near the
coast.

Habits. — The common White-eye, when not breeding, is invari-
ably in small family parties, consisting of the parent-birds and the
young of the preceding season, or frequently, of several family
parties conjoined. They generally attract attention by the some-
what sharp " chirp " that every individual bird constantly utters
both while feeding and when flying from tree to tree. They are,
as a rule, extremely tame, feeding undisturbed within a few feet
of an observer, diligently hunting over the leaves and twigs, and
peering into the blossoms in search of small larvae and insects, and
especially of some of the scale-insects {SchizoneurcB). At certain
seasons they feed to a considerable extent on soft fruits, apricots,
plums, and especially blackberries ; they are fond, too, of the
saccharine juices of many flowers, and, in the Municipal Gardens at
Cape Town, constantly resort to various favourite shrubs, notably
the Australian ** Bottle-brush," for the sake of the nectar of the
blossoms. From constantly probing the corollae of flowers, the
feathers of the head are nearly always more or less dusted over
with pollen, and these little birds, like the Sunbirds, must play a
considerable part in the cross-fertilisation of many plants.

The nest is built among the smaller twigs at the extremity of
a horizontal branch of a bush or low tree. It is very small, of a
shallow cup- shape, and is neatly constructed of fine tendrils and
moss, glued together with cobweb and frequently decorated on the
outside with pieces of grey lichen. The interior is lined with
hair. The eggs, four or five in number, are unspotted pale blue.
They measure 0-66 x 0-50.

Both parents incubate the eggs, which are hatched at the end
of ten days. The nestlings are fed on soft larvae, small cater-
pillars and the saccharine juices of flowers by both male and female.

304 PARIDiE PAKUS

Family XII. PARID^.

Bill short (shorter than the head), conical and not notched nor
decurved at the tip ; the culmen broad, rounded and not ridged at
the base. Nostrils rounded, basal and without any membranous
covering, but hidden by dense bristles and feathers directed
forward. Wings with ten primaries, the first much shorter than
the second, the third, fourth and fifth longest. Tarsus longer than
the middle toe and claw, but less than twice the length of the toe
without the claw, scutellated anteriorly ; the middle toe united to
the lateral toes at the base. Plumage soft and lax, and neither
spotted nor streaked. The sexes alike or nearly alike in colour,
the young somewhat paler as a rule.

This family contains about eighty species, distributed over the
entire globe with the exception of South America, the Pacific
Islands and the Arctic and Antarctic Eegions. Six species and
subspecies are found in South Africa. The Tits are generally met
with in small parties, hunting about bushes and trees for insects
and their eggs. The typical Tits build in holes of trees, rocks or
on the ground, and lay numerous white eggs sparingly spotted with
red ; the Penduhne Tits construct elaborately woven domed nests
in trees or bushes, and lay pure white eggs.

Key to the Ge^iera.

a. Outline of the culmen and gonys curved ; the

point of bill rather blunt Pants, p. 304.

h. Outline of the culmen and gonys straight ; the

point of bill extremely acute jEgithalus, p. 309

Genus I. PARUS.

Type.
Parus, LiimcBus, Syst. Nat. i, p. 341 (1766) P. major.

Bill short, strong, conical, unnotched, blunt at the tip, the
culmen curved from base to tip. Nostrils small, round and con-
cealed by bristles and short frontal plumes directed forwards, but
without an operculum. Wing with ten quills, the first primary
well developed, but less than half the length of the second, the
fourth or fifth the longest. Tail slightly rounded or even. Tarsus
rather short and scutellated anteriorly ; feet strong, the hind claw
strong and hooked. Plumage not streaked nor cross-barred. Sexes
alike.

PARID^ PARUS 305

The Tits are small in size, usually of arboreal habits and feed
chiefly on insects, occasionally on small seeds.

About sixty species and subspecies are known, distributed over
Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Four species and sub-
species occur in South Africa.

Wing, head and foot of Parus afer.

Key to the Species.

a. Back and lesser wing-coverts grey P. afer, p. 305.

h. Back pale reddish-grey ; wing-coverts blackish-
brown P. i:)allidiventris,

p. 307.
e. Back glossy blue-black ; lesser and middle wing-
coverts white P. niger, p. 307.

d. Back dull black ; wing-coverts as in P. niger

typicus P. niger xantJiosto-

mus, p. 308.

I r 177. Parus afer. Grey Tit.

Parus afer, Gm. Syst. Nat. i, p. 1010 (1788) ; Gray, Gen. B. i, p. 192
(1847) ; Jard. and 8elby, Illustr. Orn., pi. 117 (1880) ; Gurney in
Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 81 (1872) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. viii,
p. 39 (1883) ; 87iarj)e, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 329 (1884) ;
Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 9 (1896).
20

306 PARIDiE PAEUS

La Mesange grisette, Levaill. Ois. d Afr. iii, pi. 138 (1805).

La Mesange brune, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. iii, pi. 139, fig. 2 (1805).

Parus cinerascens, Vieill. Nouv. Diet, xx, p. 316 (1818) ; Layard, B.

S. Afr. p. 113 (1867).
Parus cinereus, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 112 (1867) [Young] .
"Slangwyte" of the Dutch Colonists.

Description. Adult male. — Above, back and lesser wing-coverts
grey ; rest of coverts black edged with white ; quills dark brown,
edged externally with grey ; upper tail-coverts and tail black, the
tail tipped with white, the outer web of outer feather white ; crown
and lores black ; back of nape, ear-coverts and streak below eye
white ; cheeks, throat and centre of breast black ; rest of under
surface grey ; axillaries and under wing-coverts whitish ; under
surface of quills brown, their inner edges white.

Iris dark brown ; bill black ; legs and feet lead colour.

Length 5-50; wing 3-00; tail 2-25; tarsus 0*75; culmen 0-50.

Adult female. — Is duller in plumage and slightly smaller.

Length 5-25 ; wing 2-90 ; tail 2-25.

Young. — Are ash-brown where the adults are grey ; wings and
tail brown, the quills edged with white ; crown brownish -black ;
neck and sides of face dull white ; throat and chest dull black ; the
flanks ash-brown.

Distrihutioji. — The Grey Tit is found over the greater part of
Cape Colony, but more commonly towards the western extremity.
It is a common species in the Karroo, on the Orange Eiver, and
in Little Namaqua Land. In the Eastern Colony it becomes
rarer. It has been recorded from Hopetown and Colesberg in the
Colony, and from Bloemfontein in the Orange Free State. To
the north of the Orange Eiver it occurs sparingly in Griqualand
West, Bechuanaland, and Great Namaqua and Damara Lands,
ranging as far north as Lake Ngami, the Okavango Eiver and
Benguela. In the Transvaal it is, according to Ayres, abundant
in the wooded Megaliesbergen and found more sparingly on the
wooded rivers. It occurs commonly in Matabililand and in the
Bamangwato country according to Buckley, and Marshall has
collected examples near Salisbury in Mashonaland.

Habits. — Although, like most of the family, this Tit shows a
certain partiality for trees or bushes, when they are present, it
frequently inhabits very arid and desolate localities, covered only
by a thin growth of Karroo scrub. Here they hunt over the
stones and rocks in search of insects, and build their nests in

PARIDJE PARUS 307

holes in the ground. On one occasion I met with a family party
of these Tits climbing about a paling round the grave of a ship-
wrecked sailor on the sandy coast of Namaqua Land, at a distance
of quite forty miles from the nearest tree.

Layard met with this Tit in the Karroo, between Nel's
Poort and the Swartberg, '' creeping about the sides of dry water-
courses, clinging to the perpendicular banks and apparently
searching for spiders." " In the Transvaal," says Ayres, " these
birds are sparsely scattered along the rivers, frequenting scrub
and bush, feeding upon insects, and creeping about the roots and
low branches in search of their food ; their flight is not prolonged,
and their notes are harsh."

The African Grey Tit builds its nest in September, in a hole
in a tree or rock, occasionally in a wall or even in the ground ;
it is a bulky, somewhat flat structure of dry grass and feathers,
mixed with hair, wool, and fur. U^ally five or six, but some-
times as many as twelve eggs are laid. They are white sparingly
spotted with pale red, principally at the large end, and average
0-68 X 0-54.

178. Parus pallidiyentris. Pale-bellied Tit.

Parus pallidiventris, Reiclien. Journ. f. Orn. 1885, p. 217 ; Shelley, B.
Afr. i, p. 9 (1896).

Description. Adult. — Above, pale reddish-grey; wing-coverts
and quills blackish-brown edged externally with white ; tail-
feathers black narrowly edged and tipped with white ; head, face,
chin and throat black, merging into slate-grey on the chest and
pale fawn-colour on the abdomen.

Iris brown ; bill, legs and feet black.

Length 6-00 ; wing 3-30 ; tail 2-60 ; tarsus 0'80 ; culmen 0-50.

This Tit difi'ers from Parus riifiventer, Bocage, of Benguela, in
being much paler on both the back and abdomen.

Distribution. — East Africa, ranging southward to Mosambique
and Mashonaland (Francis).

d/^/

179. Parus niger. Black Tit.

La Mesange noire, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. iii, pi. 137, figs. 1, 2 (1805).
Parus niger, Bonn, et Vieill. Enc. Metli. p. 508 (1823) ; Gurneij in
Andersson's Birds Damara Land, p. 81 (1872) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M.

308 PARIDJi] PARUS

viii, p. 7 (1883) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 331, 835 (1884) ;
Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 9 (1896).
Parus leucopterus, Sivains. Classif. B. ii, p. 246 (1837) ; Layard, B. S.
Afr. p. 113 (1867).

Description. Adult male. — General colour, above and below,
glossy blue-black, tinged with brown on the abdomen and under
tail- coverts, the latter edged with white ; least and middle wing-
coverts white with their bases black ; greater coverts black broadly-
edged and tipped with white ; quills black edged externally with
white ; tail-feathers black tipped with white, the outer web of the
outermost white ; under wing-coverts white.

Iris dark hazel ; bill black ; legs and feet lead-grey.

Length 5*80; wing 3-15; tail 2-75; tarsus 0-80; culmen 0-45.

Adult female. — Less glossy than the male ; below dark lead-
grey ; wing-coverts and quills with narrower white edgings.

Distribution. — Eastern Cape Colony and Natal, where it is
fairly common in all the forest districts, ranging into Portuguese
East Africa and the Transvaal and extending northward and west-
ward through Mashona and Matabili Lands to Lake Ngami, the
Okavango Kiver, Damara Land and Benguela.

Habits. — Everywhere confined to the bush and forest districts
and preferring the larger growth of trees as a hunting ground.
In the Natal bush it is a common bird, and is constantly met
with in small bands of five or six individuals busily hunting about
the tree-tops for insects. Its contrasting colours of black and
white render it rather a conspicuous bird, and it frequently attracts
attention by its harsh call-note. Mr. Ayres found a nest near
Pinetown in Natal, containing one egg and four callow yoimg.
'* The old bird had evidently taken possession of a deserted Wood-
pecker's nest. The hole was in a perpendicular and decayed
bough of a large tree, about twenty feet from the ground ; it was
about a foot in depth, and there was a little fine grass at the
bottom, on which the egg and young birds were placed."

Eggs of this Tit are white sparingly spotted with pale red, and
measure 067 x 0-53.

180. Parus niger xanthostomus. Zambesi Black Tit.

Parus xanthostomus, Shelley, Bull. B. 0. Club, 1892, i, p. vi; id. Ibis,
1893, pp. 17, 118.

Descriptio7i. — Similar to Parus niger, but differs in the upper
parts being dusky black, with a green instead of a blue gloss on the
9

PARID^ ^GITHALUS 309

crown ; wings with the base of the median coverts black and the
edges of the quills shaded with olive-yellow; throat and- under
surface of body ashy grey ; bill black, with the inside of the mouth
bright yellow ; legs olive shaded grey. Total length 6*00 ; wing
3-15 ; tail 2-70 ; tarsus 0-75 ; culmen 0-45 (Shelley).

Distribution. — The type specimen was collected on the south
bank of the Zambesi by Dr. Bradshaw ; a second example, in the
British Museum, is labelled " Grahamstown (Atmore)." The only
other example known was forwarded by Mr. A. Whyte from Mpimbi
on the Upper Shire Eiver and is recorded by Capt. Shelley in the
" Ibis " for 1893, p. 17.

Genus II. ^GITHALUS.

Type.
^githalus, Boie, Isis-, 1822, p. 556 M. penduHnus.

Bill short and very acutely pointed, the outline of both culmen
and gonys straight, the sides compressed. Nostrils basal and
lateral, the opening concealed by projecting frontal plumes. Wings
rather short, the first quill very short, the second nearly as long as
the third and fourth, which are equal and longest. Tail short and
slightly forked. Tarsus as long as middle toe, scutellated anteriorly.
Toes moderate, the hind-toe long and strong, the claws long and
acute. Plumage of plain colours and destitute of spots and streaks.
Sexes alike.

About a dozen species and subspecies of Penduline Tits have
been described. They range over Eastern and Western Asia,
Southern Europe and a large portion of Africa, whilst a single
species inhabits Mexico and the Southern United States. Two
species are found in South Africa. They are all birds of minute
size, insectivorous as regards their food, and well known for their
ingeniously woven and felted domed nests. They lay from six to
twelve unspotted white eggs.

Key to the Species.

a. Under surface of body pale yellow ^E. capensis, p. 310

h. Throat and breast dull white, merging into reddish-
buff on the abdomen, flanks and under tail-coverts ^. caroli, p. 312

310

PAEID^

^GITHALUS

Nest, head and wing of ^githalus capensis.

/

fjQ 0 181. ^githalus capensis. Cape Penduline Tit.

Parus capensis, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. i, p. 1011 (1788).

Le becque-fleur, Levaillant, Ois. d' Afr. pi. 134, figs. 1 & 2 (1805).

iEgithalus capensis, Swainson, Class. B. ii, p. 246 (1837) ; Holub and
Pelzeln, Orn. Sildafr. p. 81, fig. (1882) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. viii, p. 70,
pi. i, fig. 2 (1883) ; ' Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 9 (1896).

Anthoscopus capensis, Caba7iis, Mas. Hein. i, p. 89 (1850) ; Sharpe, ed.
LayanVs B. S. Afr. pp. 327, 834 (1884).

Paroides capensis, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 114 (1867).

" Cappoc Vogel " (Cotton Bird) of the Dutch.

PABIDiE ^GITHALUS 311

Description. Adult ynale. — Above, greyish-olive merging into
yellowish-olive on the rump and upper tail-coverts ; wings and tail
light brown ; crown rather greyer than the back ; the feathers of
forehead and lores black tipped with white ; a slight eyebrow, a
ring round the eye and the sides of face dull white, the ear-coverts
slightly darker ; chin and under tail and wing-coverts dull white ;
remaining under surface of body pale yellowish.

Iris yellowish- brown ; bill, legs and feet brown.

Length 3-60; wing 2-00 ; taill-60; tarsus 0-55 ; culmen 0-40.

Adult female. — Slightly smaller in size and duller in colour.

Length 3-30; wing 1'90; tail 1-45.

Young. — Eesemble the female.

Distribution. — Very generally distributed in Cape Colony, but
most abundant on the west coast, becoming rarer towards the
Orange Eiver ; it ranges over the greater portion of the Orange
Free State and the Transvaal but is somewhat locally distributed
in Natal and Zululand. To the north of the Orange River it occurs
in Griqualand West, in Southern Bechuanaland and in Great
Namaqua Land, but in Damara Land, in Northern Bechuanaland
and in Rhodesia it is replaced by the next species, ^. caroli.

Habits. — The little " Cappoc Vogel " is to be met with in pairs
or small family parties in almost every district within its range in
which there is a sufficient growth of bushes to afford it a supply of
insect food and a shelter for its nest. It is quite abundant among
the " scrub " on the sandy west coast of Cape Colony and is
equally common among the low bushes and mimosas of the Karroo,
but I have never met with it in the forest districts. It is an active
little bird, constantly in motion, climbing over and carefully
examining the twigs and leaves of bushes for small insects and
their eggs. Its ordinary call-note is a weak and almost inaudible
" chirp," but occasionally as it takes wing it utters a sharper cry.
Its flight is weak and seldom protracted for any great distance
but usually only from bush to bush. If one of a party flies off it
is followed by the others in an irregular string. Towards the end
of August, in Cape Colony, these Tits separate in pairs and soon
after commence building their elaborately woven nests. A some-
what open bush is usually chosen as a site after a careful inspection
lasting several days. In sheep-farming districts wool is nearly
always used as a building material, elsewhere the cottony down of
plants ; but whatever the substance made use of, it is carefully
woven and felted together in several distinct layers until the walls

312 PARID^ ^GITHALUS

of the domed nest consist of a tough cloth-like material impervious
to rain. The nest is usually about four feet off the ground and is
attached by its sides to several nearly parallel twigs. It varies in
size and shape but is generally about seven inches high by four
inches wide and more or less oval in form. The entrance is on
one side near the top of the nest, through a short sleeve-like tube
just wide enough to admit the bird. Immediately below it is a
larger pocket or blind opening, in which, according to the Hottentots
and Kaffirs, the male roosts. I once had an opportunity of watching
a pair of Cotton Birds during the construction of their nest and
for some time subsequently. As soon as the nest was completed
the female laid an egg and added one every morning until seven
were deposited. On leaving the nest after laying, and sometimes
when inside, she generally carefully closed the entrance by pinching
the upper and lower lips of the entrance-tube together with her
bill until no visible aperture was apparent ; on one occasion, before
leaving the nest for the day, she stitched the upper lip to the lower,
so effectively, that on her return it was some time before she herself
could effect an entrance ; but on other occasions no attempt was
made to close the opening during the day. It appeared to me at
the time that the temperature of the interior of the nest was pro-
bably regulated by opening or closing the entrance tube, at the
same time the nest with the entrance closed would be comparatively
secure against the assaults of egg- eating snakes and lizards, reptiles
which are common enough in most of the localities frequented by
the " Cappoc Vogel."

From six to twelve eggs are laid by the Cotton Bird, in Sep-
tember and October in Cape Colony.

They are very small, pure white in colour and usually elongated
in shape. They average 0-56 x 0-38.

Le Vaillant figures the nest of this Tit correctly in plate 131 of
*' Les Oiseaux d'Afrique " but erroneously ascribes it to *' Le Pine
Pine," Cisticola textrix, a bird that builds a very different style of
nest. A nest mentioned by Andersson in the " Birds of Damara
Land," p. 89, as that of this Tit, must have been that of some other
species, containing, as suggested by Mr. Gurney, the egg of a
Cuckoor) , '

//f^

182. ^githalus caroli. Andersson's Penduline Tit.

^githalus minutus {nee Shaw), Sharjje, Cat. Afr. B. p. 35 (1871).
^Egithalus caroli, Sharpe, Ibis, 1871, p. 415 ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. viii,
p. 71, pi. i, fig. i, (1883) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 10 (1896).

•LC^ Lvfi rt^L^

PAEID^ iEGITHALUS 313

Anthoscopus caroli, Giirneij in Andersson's B. Damara Larid, p. 80
(1872) ; Shariw, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr, pp. 327, 834 (1884).

" N'KUo " of the Matabilis (Ay res).

Description. Adult male. — Similar to Mgithalus capensis but
paler ; the back olive-grey merging into reddish-buff on the rump
and upper tail-coverts ; wing-coverts brown with paler edges ; quills
dark brown edged with grey ; tail-feathers the same : forehead dull
white, the feathers tipped with grey ; side of face dull white, ear-
coverts darker ; throat and breast dull white merging into reddish-
buff on the abdomen, flanks and under tail-coverts ; under wing-
coverts dull white.

Iris brown ; bill, legs and feet slate-colour.

Length 3-50; wing 2-00; tail 1-30; tarsus 0-55; culmen 3-38.

Adidt female. — Slightly smaller but similar to the male in
colour.

Distribution. — From Swaziland and Portuguese East Africa to
Mashona and Matabililands, ranging northward to North Nyasa-
land, and westward through the Ngami District to Damara Land.

INDEX.

c^l

acuticaudus, Lamprocolius, 37.
jEgithalus capensis, 310.

— caroli, 312.
afer, Cinnyris, 282.

— Parus, 305.
africmm, Mirafra, 212.

— Buphaga, 17.
''^^ rafricanoides, Mirafra, 210.
/J -^ African Pied Wagtail, 255.

Spotted Creeper, 266.
AlcBmon nivosa, 230.

— semitorquata, 228.
Alario alario, 179.
albicollis, Corvultur, 10.
alhifrons, Amblyospiza, 80.
albigularis, Serinus, 174.
albonotatus, Coliopasser, 138.

' '^■'^ ''^ ' i 'I Amadina erythrocephala, 118.
f\,€^'/i-J^ '/f amauroptera, Hypochera fimerea, 154,

Amblyospiza albifrons, 80.
?->»n. ec^o^o-xt^wteZi^e, Macronyx, 240.

/^g amcthystinus bradshawi, Cinnyris, 289.

— Cinnyris, 287.
Ammomanes erythrochlamys, 199.

— ferruginea, 200.

— 5ra?/i, 198.

^''' Amydrus caffer, 28.

— morio, 26.
Anaplectes angolensis, 77.

— gurneyi, 76.

,^ — rubriceps, 74.
"^^''^'•^'^^-^nderssoni, Tephrocorys, 224.
'^^ — Zosterops, 300.

Andersson's Lark, 224.

— Oriole, 50.

— Penduline Tit, 312.

— White-eye, 300.
angolensis, Anaplectes, 77.

— Estrilda, 102.
■ — Serinus, 178.

M > /5

0 '

Anthobaphes violacea, 293.
AntJiothreptes collaris, 297.

— collaris hypodilus, 298.
Anthus bocagii, 252, ^

— brachyurus, 248.

— chloris, 243.

— crenatus, 245.

— lineiventris, 245.

— nicholsoni, 249.

— pyrrJionotus, 250.

— rufulus, 251.

— trivialis, 247.
apiata, Mirafra, 217.
arcuatus. Passer, 160.
ai-dejis, Coliopasser, 142.
astrilda, Estrilda, 98.
australis, Lamprocolius, 35.

— Pyrrhulauda, 194.
axillaris, Urobrachya, 134.

Bar-breasted Weaver Finch, 109.
Bar-tailed Lark, 217.

— Lark, Rufous, 218.
berlepschi, Otocorys, 226.
bicolor, Spreo, 30.

— Sycobrotus, 72. -
Bifasciated Sunbird, Southern, 279.
Bishop Bird, Black and Yellow, 130,

— Black-thighed, 133.

— Red, 126.

— Smaller Black and Yellow, 132.

— Taha, 128,

bispecularis, Lamprocolius phoenicop-

terua, 39,
Black and Yellow Bishop Bird, 130.

Smaller, 132,

Black-backed Weaver Bird, 72.
Black-bellied Glossy Starling, 42,
Black Crow, 14.
Black-faced Waxbill, 100.

A

V^..

y>^^y.-->.

'^iT

7,

t.^-

INDEX

315

Black-headed Oriole, 51.
Black Wagtail, 263.

— Weaver Bird, 56.
Black Sunbird, 287.
Black-thighed Bishop Bird, 133.
Black-throated Seed-eater, 178.
Black Tit, 307.

Zambesi, 308.

Black Widow Fiuch, 153.
Blue -breasted Waxbill, 102.
Blue-headed Wagtail, 261.
Bocage's Pipit, 252.

— Widow Bird, 136.
bocagii, AnthiLs, 252.

— Urobrachya, 136.
borealis, Motacilla flava, 263.
brachyu7-us, Anthus, 248.
braclshawi, Cinnyris amethystinus, 289.
Bradshaw's Sunbird, 289.
breviunguis, Heterocorys, 227.
brimnicejjs, Lagonosticta, 94:/^^<-'^>-.'i:^->-
Buffalo Weaver Bird, 78. '°'
Bunting, Cape, 187. /,;

— Golden-breasted, 184.

— Lark, 190.

— Rock, 189.

— Shelley's, 186.

Bupliaga africana, 17. ^^■</^^^^>-f*^ 'J

— erythrorhyncJia, 20.
Burchell's Glossy Starling, 35.

cabanisi, Hyphantornis, 57.
Cabanis's Weaver Bird, 57.
cafer, Promerops, 269. v -v

caffer, Amydrus, 28. ^-^o

caffra, Sitagra capensis, 70.
Calendula crassirostris, 202.
campestris, Motacilla, 260.
Canary, Cape, 168.

— Mountain, 179.
canicollis, Serinus, 168.
Cape Bunting, 187.

— Canary, 168.

— Long-billed Lark, 233.

— Long-tailed Sugar-bird, 269.

— Penduline Tit, 310.

— Sparrow, 160.

— Wagtail, 259.

— Weaver Bird, 69.

— Weaver Bird, Eastern, 70.

— White-eye, 302.

%-V-x^t^ p- ^

/

capensis, ^githalus, 310.

— caffra, Sitagra, 70.

— Certhilauda, 233.

— Corvus, 14.

— Fringillaria, 187.

— Macronyx, 238.

— minor, Pyromelana, 132.

— Motacilla, 259.

— Pyromelana, 130.

— Sitagra, 69.

— xanthomelcena, Pyromelana, 133.

— Zosterops, 302.
Cappoc-vogel, 311.
caroli, ^githalus, 312.
carunculatus, Dilophus, 23.
Certhilauda capensis, 233.

— rufula, 234.
chalybeus, Cinnyris, 284.
cheniana, Mirafra, 215.
chloris, Anthus, 243.
chloropterus, Lamprocolius, 40.
Chrysomitris totta, 182. -5Xo.v^^,.r^-e^
cinerea spleniata, Tephrocorys, 223.

— Tephroco7-ys, 222.
Cinnamon-backed Pipit, 250.

Cinnyris afer, 282. Co

— amethystinus, 287.

— amethystinus bradshawi, 289.

— chalybeus, 284. l-iU^

— fuscus, 290.

— gutturalis, 286.

— kirhi, 289.

— leucog aster, 281.

— ludovicensis, 284.

— mariquensis, 279.

— olivaceus, 292.

— verreauxi, 291.

Coliopasser albonotatus, 138. !;■

r'

<-*■ CX-->--v'V->-<y. 'J./

— ardens, 142.

— Xjrocne, 139.
Collared Sunbird, 297.

— Sunbird, Zambesi, 298.
collaris, Anthothreptes, 297.

— hypodilus, Anthothreptes, 298.
Common Waxbill, 98.
conirostris, Spizocorys, 220.
Corvultur albicollis, 10.
Corvus capensis, 14.

— scapulatus, 12.
crassirostris, Calendula, 202.
Creeper, African Spotted, 266.

"--' rt^^

e^-

o^

O^^C^'^^rx.^

316

INDEX

r^

C7'enatus, Anthus, 245.
Crested Lark, Heuglin's, 204.
croceus, Macromjx, 239.
crocopygius, Serimis, 176.
Crow, Black, 14.
'>/'— Pied, 12.

Damara Lark, 211.

— Red-capped Lark, 223.

— Yellow-rumped Seed-eater, 176.
damarensis, Mirafra, 211.
Dark-lined Lark, 209.

«,.4kwA/5^ naped Lark, 194.

Decken's Seed-eater, 172.
Dilophus carunculatus, 23.
diffusus, Passer, 163.
Double-collared Sunbird, Greater, 282.
Lesser, 284.

- Northern. 284.

waX^

-.^u._

dufresnii, Estrilda, 107.
Dufresne's Waxbill, 107.
Dusky Lark, 207.

Eastern Cape Weaver Bird, 70.

— Yellow-Seed-eater, 173.
Emberiza fiaviventris, 184.

— major orientalis, 186.
erythrocephala, Amadina, 118.
erythrochlamys, Ammomaiies, 199.
erythronota, Estrilda, 100.
erythrorhyncha, Buphaga, 20.
Estrilda ajigolensis, 102.

astrilda, 98.

dufresnii, 107
^ /; — erythronota, 100.
^^^"-^^^^ — granatina, 104.

— iyicayia, 101.

— subfiava, 105.

Fawn-coloured Lark, 210.
famosa, Nectarinia, 276.
ferruginea, Amvionia^ies, 200.
Ferruginous Lark, 200.
Finch Lark, 214.
fischeri, Mirafra, 216.
Fischer's Lark, 216.
flava, Motacilla, 261.

— borealis, Motacilla, 263.
fiaviventris, Emberiza, 184.

— Serinus, 170.
Fringillaria capensis, 187.

— impetuani, 190.

Fringillaria tahapisi, 189.
fringillaris, Mirafra, 214.
fringilloides, Spermestes, 111.
funerea amauroptera, Hypochera, 154.

— Hypochera, 153.

-- nigerrima, Hypochera, 154.
fuscics, Cinnyris, 290.

galbula, Oriolus, 48. /

Galerita modesta, 204.

Glossy Starling, Black -bellied, 42.

— Burchell's, 35.

— Green-winged, 40,

— Lesser Red-shouldered, 39.

— Meve's, 32.
~ Peter's, 41.

— Red-shouldered, 38.

— Sharp-tailed, 37.

— Verreaux's, 44.
Golden-breasted Bunting, 184.
Golden Oriole, 48.
granatina, Estrilda, 104.
grayi, Ammomanes, 198.
Gray's Lark, 198.

Greater Doubled-collared Sunbird, 282.

— South African Sparrow, 162.
Great-tailed Widow Bird, 139.
Green White-eye, 301.
Green-winged Glossy Starling, 40.
Grenadine Waxbill, 104. . ,- .^^p^^
Grey-backed Lark, 195.

— Wagtail, 257.
Grey-collared Lark, 228.
Grey-headed Sparrow, Southern, 163.

— Wagtail, 263.
Grey Tit, 305.

— Waxbill, South African, 101.
gularis, Poliospiza, 165.
gurneyi, Anaplectes, 76.

— Promerops, 273. ^ , .
Gurney's Weaver Bird, 76.
gutturalis, Cinnyris, 286. /. ^ .

Hartlaub's Red-faced Weaver Finch, 91.
Heterocorys breviunguis, 227. '^' {^JL^y^^^f^..^,^ ^y *h
Heuglin's Crested Lark, 204. / , ^ ^-

Hooded Weaver Finch, 112. ' '^^^"^^^^^^ I
Horned Lark, South African, 226
Hyphantornis cabanisi, 57. -'V ^^,^^ nruo»>ev r> ^

— jamescnii, 65.

— nigriceps, 56.

(<

^ e>y'U jQh^P ^i.ry^^'^A-i.U*'^- ^^^

2:

0\ a^.fjL. /ca

/> I..

A

-;.

INDEX

317

Hyphantornis shelleyi, 62.

— spilonotus, 60. / /, W^ ^rv^i

— subaureus, 63. . ' c

— velatus, 58. - o
Hypochera funerea, 153.

— fimerea amauroptera, 154.

— funerea nigerrima, 154.
hypodilus, AntJiothreptes collaris, 298.

icterus, Serinus, 173.
imberbis, Serinus, 172.
impetuani, Fringillaria, 190.
incana, Estrilda, 101.

jamesoni, Hyphantornis, 65.

— Lagotiosticta^ 93.
Jameson's Ruddy Waxbill, 93.

— Weaver Bird, 65.

Karroo Lark, 230.
fcirZti, Cinnyris, 289.
Kirk's Sunbird, 289.

Lagonosticta brunniceps, 94.
— jamesoni, 93.

— margaritata, 96.

— niveoguttata, 95.

— rubricata, 92.
Lamprocolius acuticaudus, 37.

— australis, 35. J ck .- '-^i-otrU'^-

— chloropteriis, 40. ' iy^'

— melanogaster, 42.

— phoenicopteriis, 38.

— pJicenicopterus bispecularis, 39.

— sycobius, 41.
Lamprotornis rnevesi, 32.
' — purpuretis, 33.

Large Yellow Seed-eater, 169.

^ — tufted Pipit, 245.

Lark, Andersson's, 224.

— Bar-tailed, 217.

— Bunting, 190.

— Cape, Long-billed, 233.

— Damara, 211.

— Damara, Red-capped, 223.

— Dark-lined, 209.

— Dark-naped, 194.

— Dusky, 207.

— Fawn-coloured, 210

— Ferruginous, 200.

— Finch, 214.

-CJ^

U^/^,<J><^f^-yY^

Lark, Fischer's, 216. ' C^t-^A*

— Gray's, 198.

— Grey-backed, 195.

— Grey-collared, 228.

— Heuglin's Crested, 204.

— Karroo, 230.

— Latakoo, 215.

— Pink-billed, 220.

— Red-backed, 199.

— Red-capped, 222

— Rufous Bar-tailed, 218.

— Rufous Long-billed, 234.

— Rufous-naped, 212.

— Sabota, 208.

— Short-clawed, 227.

— Smith's, 196.

— South African Horned, 226.

— Red-capped, 222.
- Thick-billed, 202.
larvatus, Oriolus, 51.
Latakoo Lark, 215.

Lesser Double-collared Sunbird, 284.

— Red- shouldered Glossy Starling, 39.

— Tawny Pipit, 251.
leucogaster, Cinnyris, 281.

— verreauxi, PJwlidauges, 44.
leucopterus, Serinus, 177.
lineiventris, Anthus, 245.
Little Ruddy Waxbill, 94.
Long-billed Lark, Cape, 233.

— Lark, Rufous, 234.
Long-claw, Orange-throated, 238.

— Pink-throated, 240.

— Yellow-throated, 239.
longicauda, Motacilla, 257.
Long-tailed Sugar-bird, Cape, 269.

— Sugar-bird, Natal, 273.

— Starling, Purple, 33.
ludovicensis, Cinnyris, 284.

Macronyx amelice, 240.

— capensis, 238.

— croceus, 239.

— lointoni, 241.
mahali, Ploceipasscr, 83.
major orientalis, Emberiza, 186.
Malachite Sunbird, 276.
margaritata, Lagonosticta, 96. y,
mariquensis, Cinnyris, 279.
Masked Weaver Bird, 58. "'>^-^^*i-v- -.h^^xv^
melanocephala, Motacilla, 263.

"Tta piy\.^C-

-^^u:,y^ ^r,^^^

Y- »'-5v o ^^ ^f^-r ^

a.

318

INDEX

melanogaster, Lamprocolms, 42.
melba, Pytelia, 89.
Meve's Glossy Starling, 32.
» Ct-oT^ '-i^^ mevesi, Lamprotornis, 32.

g OQ-i^ minor, Pyromelana capensis, 132.
Mirafra africana, 212.

— africanoides, 210.

— apiata, 217.

— cheniana, 215.

— damarensis, 211.

— fischeri, 216.

— fi-ingillaris, 214.

— nigricans, 207.

— ncevia, 209.

— rufipilea, 218.

— saftofa, 208.
vwdesta, Galerita, 204.
morio, Amydrus, 26.
Motacilla campestris, 260.

— capensis, 259.

— flava, 261.

— yZa?;a borealis, 263,

— longicauda, 257.

— melanocephala, 263.

— vidua, 255.
motitensis, Passer, 162.
Mountain Canary, 179.
Mouse-coloured Sunbird, 291.

ncevia, Mirafra, 209.
Natal Long-tailed Sugar-bird, 273.
Nectarinia famosa, 276.
,!?. /<?- nicholsoni, Anthus, 249.

Nicholson's Pipit, 249.
,^ > ni^er, PariLS, 307.
/ ''^^^ — Textor, 78.

— xanthostomus, Parus, 308.
nigerrima, Hypochera funerea, 154.
nigricans, Mirafra, 207.
7iigriceps, Hyphantornis, 56.

— Spermestes, 113.
nitidula, Pytelia, 91.
niveoguttata, Lagonosticta, 95

/^ nivosa, Alcemon, 230.

Northern Double-collared Sunbird, 284.
notatus, Oriolus, 50.

ocularia, Sitagra, 66.
olivaceus, Cinnyris, 292.
Olive-coloured Sunbird, 292.
Orange-breasted Sunbird, 293.

Orange-breasted Waxbill, 105.

throated Long-claw, 238.

orientalis, Emheriza major, 186.
Qriole, Audersson's, 50.

— Black-headed, 51. ' u^o^l^K lU^

— Golden, 48. ;^.;:;V Jr/
Oriolus galbula, 48.

— larvatus, 51.

— notatus, 50.
Ortygospiza polyzona, 109.
orT/a:, Pyromelana, 126.
Otocorys berlepschi, 226.
Ox-pecker, Red-billed, 20.

— Yellow-billed, 17.

Pale-bellied Tit, 307.

— White-eye, 302.

winged Starling, 28.

pallida, Zosterops, 302.
pallidiventris, Parus, 307.
paradisea. Vidua, 149.
Paradise Widow-Bird, 149.
Parus afer, 305.

— m^er, 307.

— 7iigrer xanthostoymis, 308.

— pallidiventris, 307.
Passer arcuatus, 160.

— diffusus, 163.

— motite7isis, 162.
pectoralis, Ploceipasser, 85.
Penduline Tit, Andersson's, 312.

— Tit, Cape, 310. /->^ ^ £^ iy^^^-nyj^
petronella, Petronia, 157. p-^i^t^
Petronia petronella, 157. ^-c^Z^^^-^^.-^^^f^.A.*^ i
Peter's Glossy Starling, 41.

— Ruddy Wax-bill, 95.
phcenicopterus bispecularis, Lamproco-

lius, 39.

— Lamprocolius, 38.
Philetcerus socius, 115.
Pholidauges leucogaster verreauxi, 44.
Pied Crow, 12.

— Starling, 30.

— Wagtail, African, 255. ' - ;^

— Weaver Finch, 111. i ' i
Pink-billed Lark, 220.

throated Long-claw, 240.

Pin-tailed Widow Bird, 145.
Pipit, Bocage's, 252.

— Cinnamon-backed, 250.

— Larger Yellow-tufted, 245,

INDEX

319

./^,

iJy ^ d-n^rr^TTlJ^)

ct ^C'--<c- -Y,

Pipit, Lesser Tawny, 251.

— Nicholson's, 249.

— Short-tailed, 248.

— Small Yellow-tufted, 243.

— Stripe-bellied, 245.

— Tree, 247.
Ploceipasser mahali, 83.

— pectoralis, 85.

— rufoscapulatus, 85
Poliospiza giclaris, 165.
polyzona, Ortygospiza, 109.
principalis. Vidua, 145.
procne, Coliopasser, 139.,./\^r>r-^
Promerops cafer, 269.

— gurneyi, 273.
Purple Long-tailed Starling, 33.

— Widow Finch, 154.
purpureas, Lamprotornis, 33.
Pyromelana capensis, 130.

— capensis minor, 132.

— capensis xanthomelcena, 133.

— oryx, 126.

— taha, 128.
pyrrhonotus, Anthus, 250.
Pyrrhulauda australis, 194.

— smithi, 196.

— verticalis, 195.

Pytelia melba, 89. ^Uco ri(j

— nitidula, 91.

Quelea quelea, 122.

riissi, 124.

quelea russi, Quelea, 124.

Raven, White-necked, 10.
Ray's Yellow Wagtail, 260.
Red-backed Lark, 199.

— Weaver Bird, 85.
Red-billed Ox pecker, 20.

— Weaver, 122.

Red Bishop Bird, 126.
Red-capped Lark, 222.

Damara, 223.

Red-collared Widow Bird, 142.
Red-faced Weaver Finch, Hartlaub's, 91.

— Weaver Finch, Southern, 89.
Red-headed Weaver Bird, 74.

— Weaver Finch, 118.
Red-shouldered Glossy Starling, 38.

— Glossy Starling, Lesser, 39.

— Widow Bird, 134.

(li-'-l^^-o Z^. J-A,n,

Red-winged Starling, 26
regia, Vidua, 148.
rendalli, Seri^ius, 172.
Rendall's Seed-eater, 172.
Rock Bunting, 189.

— Sparrow, South African, 157.
rubricata, Lagonosticta, 92.
ruhriceps, A^iaplectes, 74.

jRuddy Waxbill, Jameson's, 93.

— Little, 94.

— Peter's, 95.

— South African, 92.

— Verreaux's, 96.
rufipilea, Mirafra, 218.
rufoscapulatus, Ploceipasser, 85.
Rufous-backed Weaver Finch, 113.

— Bar-tailed Lark, 218.

— Long-billed Lark, 234.

naped Lark, 212.

rufula, Certhilauda, 234,
riifulus, Ayithus, 251.

— bocagii, Anthus, 252.
Russ' Weaver, 124.
russi, Quelea quelea, 124.

Sabota Lark, 208.
sabota Mirafra, 208.
Salponiis spilonotus salvadorii, 266,
salvadorii, Salpornis spilonotus, 266.
Scaly-feathered Weaver Bird, 86,
scapulatus, Corvus, 12.
Scarlet-chested Sunbird, 286.
scotops, Serinus, 111.
scutatus, Spermestes, 112.
Seed-eater, Black-throated, 178.

— Damara Yellow-rumped, 176.

— Decken's, 172.

— Eastern Yellow, 173.

— Large Yellow, 169.

— Rendall's, 172.

— Streaky-headed, 165.

— Sundevall's, 177.

— White-throated, 174.

— White-winged, 177.

— Yellow-bellied, 170.
semitorquata, Alcemon, 228,
Serinus albigularis, 174.

— angolensis, 178.

— canicollis, 168.

— crocopygitis, 176.

— Uaviventris, 170.

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320

INDEX

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Serinus icterus, 173.

— imberbis, 172.

— leucopterus, 177.

— rendalli, 172.

— scotops, 111.

— stilphuratiis, 169.
Shaft-lailed Widow Bird, 148.
Sharp-tailed Glossy Starling, 37.
Sharpe's Weaver Bird, 77.
shelleyi, Hyphantornis, 62.
Shelley's Bunting, 186.

— Weaver Bird, 62.
Short-clawed Lark, 227.
Short-tailed Pipit, 248.
Siskin, South African, 182.
Sitagra capensis, 69.

— capefisis caffra, 70.

— ocularia, 66.

— xanthoptera, 68.

Smaller Black and Yellow Bishop Bird,

132.
Small Yellow-tufted Pipit, 243.
smithi, Pyrrhulaicda, 196.
Smith's Lark, 196.

— Weaver Bird, 66.
Social Weaver Bird, 115.
sociiis, PhiletceruSf 115.

South African Grey Waxbill, 101.

— Horned Lark, 226.

— Rock Sparrow, 157.

— Ruddy Waxbill, 92.

— Siskin, 182.

— Sparrow, Greater, 162

— White-breasted Sunbird, 281.
Southern Bifasciated Sunbird, 279.

— Grey-headed Sparrow, 163.

— Red-faced Weaver Finch, 89.
Sparrow, Cape, 160.

— Greater South- African, 162.

— South African Rock, 157.

— Southern Grey-headed, 163.
Spermestes fringilloides, 111.

— nigriceps, 113.

— scutatus, 112.
spilonotus, Hyphantornis, 60.

— salvadorii, Salpornis, 266.
Spizocorys conirostris, 220.
spleniata, Tephrocorys 223.
Sporopipes squamifrons, 86.
Spot-headed Weaver Bird, 73.
Spotted-backed Weaver Bird, 60.

Spotted Creeper, African, 266.
Spreo bicolor, 30.
squamifrons, Sporopipes, 86.
Starling, Black-bellied Glossy, 42.

— Burchell's Glossy, 35.

— Green-winged Glossy, 40.

— Lesser Red-shouldered Glossy, 39.

— Meve's Glossy, 32.

— Pale-winged, 28.

— Peter's Glossy, 41.

— Pied, 30.

— Purple-longtailed, 33.

— Red-winged, 26.

— Sharp-tailed Glossy, 37.

— Red-shouldered Glossy, 38.

— Verreaux's Glossy, 44.

— Wattled, 23.

Steel-coloured Widow Finch, 154.
stictifrons, Sycobrotus, 73.
Streaky-headed Seed-eater, 165.
Stripe-bellied Pipit, 245.
Stripe-chested Weaver Bird, 85.
subaureus, Hyphantornis, 63. - '
subflava, Estrilda, 105.
Sugar-bird, Cape Long-tailed, 269.

— Natal Long-tailed, 273.
sulphuratus, Serinus, 169.
Sunbird, Black, 287. , J .

— Bradshaw's, 289.

— Collared, 297.

— Greater Double-collared, 282,

— Kirk's, 289.

— Lesser Double-collared, 284.

— Malachite, 276.

— Mouse-coloured, 291.

— Northern Double-Collared, 284.

— Olive-coloured, 292. ^^/i*^ c-

— Orange-breasted, 293.;^^ ,^i, ^,

— Scarlet-chested, 286. ^

— South African White-breasted

— Southern Bifasciated, 279.

— White-vented, 290.

— Zambesi, Collared, 298.

281.

Sundevall's Seed-eater, 177. ^'

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nus, Lamprocolius, 41. ^^
Sycobrotus bicolor, 72.
— stictifronSj 73.

Taha Bishop Bird, 128.
taha, Pyromelana, 128.
tahapisi, Fringillaria, 189.

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INDEX

321

^57

Tawny Pipit, Lesser, 251.
Tephrocorys anderssoni, 224,

— cinerea, 222.

— spleniata, 22S. ^ ■^^r-^ -^
Textor niger, 78.
Thick-billed Lark, 202.

— Weaver Bird, 80.

Tit, Andersson's Penduline, 312.

— Black, 307.

— Cape Penduline, 310.

— Grey, 305.

— Pale-bellied, 307. , do g &

— Zambesi, Black, 308. /
totta, Chrysomitris, 182A^->'^ ^a^ <i>^o
Tree Pipit, 247. Cc^^}^ X^^o
trivialis, Anthus, 247.

Urobrachya axillar'is, 134.

— bocagii, 136.

velatus, Hyphantornis, 58. .

verreauxi, Cinnyris, 291. -'^'-^^^^iic

— Pholidauges leucogaster, 44.C.-5.V^ ff^^^^
Verreaux's Glossy Starling, 44. "^^^ 3(\,

— Ruddy Waxbill, 96.
verticalis, Pyrr-hulauda, 195.
vidua, Motacilla, 255.

Vidua par adisea, 149.

— principalis, 145.

— regia, 148.

violacea, Anthobaphes, 293.
viixns, Zosterops, 301.

Wagtail, African Pied, 255.

— Black-headed, 263.

— Blue-headed, 261.

— Cape, 259.

— Grey-backed, 257.

— Grey-headed, 263.

— Ray's Yellow, 260.
Wattled Starling, 23.
Waxbill, Black-faced, 100.

— Blue-breasted, 102.

— Common, 98,

— Dufresne's, 107.

— Grenadine, 104.

— Jameson's Ruddy, 93.

— Little Ruddy, 94.

— Orange-breasted, 105. - -^ Vcy^ ^^

— Peter's Ruddy, 95.
^ South African Grey, 101.

21

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Waxbill, South African Ruddy, 92.

— Verreaux's Ruddy, 96.
Weaver Bird, Black-backed, 72.

— Black-headed, 56. ^

— Buffalo, 78. ( '

— Cabanis's, 57.

— Cape, 69.

— Eastern Cape, 70.

— Gurney's, 76.

— Jameson's, 65.

— Masked, 58.

— Red-backed, 85.

— Red-headed, 74.
• — Scaly-feathered, 86.

— Sharpe's, 77.

— Shelley's, 62.

— Smith's, 66.

— Social, 115.

— Spot-headed, 73.

— Spotted-backed, 60.

— Stripe-chested, 85.

— Thick-billed, 80.

— White-browed, 83.

— Yellow, 63.

— Yellow-winged, 68.
Weaver Finch, Bar-breasted, 109

— Hartlaub's Red-faced, 91.

— Hooded, 112.

— Pied, 111.

— Red-headed, 118.

— Rufous-backed, 113. /^

— Southern Red-faced, 89
Weaver, Red-billed, 122.

— Russ, 124.

White-breasted Sunbird, South African

281.
White-browed Weaver Bird, 83.
White-eye, Andersson's, 300.

— Cape, 302. /^^

— Green, 301.

— Pale, 302.

White-necked Raven, 10.
White- throated Seed-eater, 174
White- vented Sunbird, 290.
White- winged Seed-eater, 177.

— Widow Bird, 138.
Widow Bird, Bocage's, 136.

— Great-tailed, 139.

— Paradise, 149. ^ ^

— Pin-tailed, 145. /■-

— Red-collared, 142.

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322

INDEX

Widow Bird, Red-shouldered, 134.

Shaft-tailed, 148.

White-winged, 138.

Widow Finch, Black, 153.

Purple, 154.

Steel-coloured, 154.

wintoni, Macronyx, 241.

xanthomelcRYia, Pyromelana capensis, 133.
xanthoptera, Sitagra, 68.
xanthostomus, Pants niger, 308.

Yellow-bellied Seed-eater, 170.
Yellow-billed Ox-pecker, 17.
Yellow-rumped Seed-eater, Damara, 176.

Yellow Seed-eater, Eastern, 173.

— Large, 169.

Yellow-throated Long-claw, 239.
Yellow-tufted Pipit, Larger, 245.

Small, 243.

Yellow Wagtail, Ray's, 260.

— Weaver Bird, 63.

winged Weaver Bird, 68.

Zambesi Black Tit, 308.

— Collared Sunbird, 298.
Zosterops anderssoni, 300.

— capeiisis, 302.

— pallida, 302.

— virens, 301.

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