PARASITIC WEAVERBIRDS 77 



suggestive of the aerial dance of the Pied Widow. Along with two 

 females he was chattering fifteen minutes before sunset, on the pin- 

 nacle of a bare blue-gum; he rose in the air and fluttered thrice in 

 succession over one of the females, then returned to liis perch." 



The only evidence for or against teri'itoriality in the dusky com- 

 bassou are the observations that the individual males spend hour after 

 hour at the same singing post. Lamm (in. litt.) observed this behavior 

 in Alozambique from mid-December to mid-April, and considered it 

 a sign of territorial attachment. In Southern Rhodesia Irwin (in litt.) 

 noted somewhat similar behavior b}^ both this species and the glossj'' 

 combassou, and concluded that the singing males in a given area 

 appear to be aware of each other's territories and do not intrude. 

 When he shot a singing male, however, he found that its place on the 

 same singing tree was quicldy taken by another individual. Hamling 

 (1944, p. 42) noted, in the eastern Caprivi corner, that the male dusky 

 combassou can be seen "perched on an exposed branch in the broiling 

 heat, when nearly every other bu-d is safely hidden in the shade. He 

 uses the same branch day after day, and spends many hours upon it." 



Chapin (1954, p. 566), wi'iting of the race Vidua junerea purpuras- 

 cens (a synonym of nigerrima), stated that "either this or a closely 

 related form in southwest Tanganyika Territory is reported to remain 

 in flocks until early May, then each male selects a tree from the top 

 of which he delivers his weak twittering or warbling song. To this 

 tree he returns constantly during the next several weeks." He 

 doubted, however, that true pairing takes place but gave no evidence, 

 and indeed there appears to be no evidence available as to what con- 

 ditions really prevail. I am not aware of what data are behind his 

 words that "it seems all but proved that pairs are not formed." 

 His belief may have stemmed from the fact that some males in breeding 

 plumage and condition were found in loose, small flocks all through 

 the breeding season, and others were found apparently largely re- 

 stricted to their individual singing posts. 



Eggs and Egg Laying 



J. Vincent (1936, pp. 112-113) wTote that he collected the "pure 

 white egg" of the dusky combassou from a waxbiU's nest in Natal. 

 He gave no measurements and no indication how the identification 

 was made. Without such information we can look upon his state- 

 ment as merel3'' an assumption, even though a fau-ly probable one. 

 Other eggs, also pure white, referred to the dusky combassou measure 

 14.9 by 12.3 mm. (A. W. Vincent, 1949, p. 668) and 15.2 by 12.3 mm. 

 (A, Roberts, 1939, pp. 115-117). A completcl}^ authenticated egg of 

 the dusky combassou is still needed, no matter how safe it may seem 



