10 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 82 



Family PLOCEIDAE, Weaver-finches 



PASSER MELANURUS DAMARENSIS Reichenow 



Passer arcnatus damarensis Reichenow, Orn. Monatsb., vol. 10, p. 77, 1902 

 (Damaraland ; type in Berlin Museum from Windhuk). 



One " female " (really a male by plumage) was collected atBerseba, 

 3,000 feet, July 24, 1930. Mrs. Sordahl writes that these " * * * 

 birds are found around the buildings and trees and chicken yards of 

 Berseba the whole year." 



The Damara race of the Cape sparrow is distinguished by its 

 lighter rufous back and upper wing coverts and its deeper, purer 

 black crown, cheeks, chin, and throat and breast patch. The speci- 

 men collected is in fresh plumage and constitutes a form new to the 

 national collections. 



Family FRINGILLIDAE, Grosbeaks, Finches, Buntings 



ALARIO LEUCOLAEMA Sharps 



Alario leuoolaema Sharpe, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 13, p. 80, 1903 (Great 

 Namaqualand ; type in Brit. Museum from Hountop River). 



Two males and one female were collected on Mount Brukkaros on 

 March 22, 1931, while on April 5, 1931, a female and her nest and 

 three eggs were taken in the same place. The first three birds were 

 shot in bushes near a small stagnant pool in the crater of the moun- 

 tain at an altitude of 4,500 feet. One of the males had its mouth full 

 of gi'ass seeds. The song is recorded as " pwei pwei, but when we 

 came close to them the warning note was a sharper peep peepP 



On April 5, the female bird, collected with the nest, was found 

 perching in a tuft of grass at 4,500 feet on the mountainside. It 

 flew away when approached to within 5 feet. Mrs. Sordahl examined 

 the tuft of grass and found a tiny nest with three very pale bluish- 

 white eggs sparsely speckled with reddish brown at the larger pole. 

 " The bird flew to a near-by bush and kept up a sharp note of peep 

 peep-peep peep^ or pey pey^ the note rising on the end of the second 

 peep. The nest was well hidden by the grass tops and would never 

 have been detected if the bird had not flown out." 



One of the eggs was broken in transit to the museum; the others 

 are in perfect condition. They measure 18 by 13.5 and 18 by 13 mm, 

 respectively. 



The nest is a very compact, deep cup made of grasses, plant 

 fibers, and fine straws outside, well lined with cottony plant fibers 

 inside. The inside dimensions are: Depth, 30; diameter, 45 mm; 

 outside : Depth, 48 ; diameter, YO mm. 



