Birds in the Cradock and Tarkastad Disiricts 191 



bluish-grey much obscured by cloudings of pale ashy-brown. 

 The number varies from three to five. 



Ploceus velaius (Masked Weaver). — This is a very common 

 bird in both districts. It nests every year in my orchard in 

 some tall pear trees far avv^ay from v^ater. I have records 

 of its nesting in Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec, Jan. and March. 



Quelea sanguinirosiris lathami (Southern Pink-billed Weaver). — 

 This species visits the Cradock district at irregular intervals. 

 I have not observed it in the Tarkastad district. On April 

 5th, 1910 1 came across a colony nesting in a small patch of 

 Mimosa trees at Halesowen. Each tree contained many 

 nests. The total number of nests must have been thousands. 

 They were similar to the nests of Pyromelana orix but 

 smaller and were woven on to the branches of the trees. They 

 contained two to three pale blue eggs. As soon as the 

 young were ready to fly the whole colony disappeared and 

 I did not observe any birds of this species again until 1917, 

 when here were a good many about at Mortimer about 8 

 miles from Halesowen. This year 1920 I have heard of 

 two colonies nesting near Cradock in the same month. 

 One colony was just South of Mortimer and the other about 

 8 miles North of Cradock. I was unable to visit the 

 places, but from the description sent me of the birds there 

 is no doubt about the species. 



P'^romelana orix (Red-Bishop Bird). — This is a very common 

 species in certain localities in both districts. It breeds in the 

 months of Oct., Nov., and February. 



Pryomelana taha (Golden Bird). — During the last few years 

 this species has been common in the Cradock district. I 

 never came across it nesting in the Cradock district, but 

 I have records of its nesting for the last two years near 

 Mortimer in the month of March. I did not observe this 

 bird in the Tarkastad district until this year when it turned 

 up in good numbers on this farm in the month of February 

 and remaned to nest in the long weeds and teff grass. I 

 found many nests in March and April. After nesting the 



