352 Mr. J. H. Gurney on additional Species of Birds 



nowhere else, although I have shot over all the surrounding 

 country. They hop about in the gardens in search of insects, 

 much as a Thrush would do. Their notes are peculiarly loud 

 and clear, and are chiefly heard at break of day, when they 

 mount the nearest bush or tree to catch the first rays of the 

 sun : at other times they are generally silent. 



233. Sycobius bicolor, Vieill. Solitary Weaver-bird. 

 Female. Iris dark hazel j bill bluish ash-colour ; tarsi and feet 



dusky pale. 



These birds frequent the dense bush, and are found either 

 singly or in pairs; 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. The nest is hung from the tip of some bough in 

 the thick bush ; it is built in the form of a retort with the neck 

 hanging downwards, and is composed of the tendrils of vines. 



234. EsTRELDA RUBRiCATA, Licht. Ruddy Finch. 



Male. Iris dusky ; bill and upper mandible ashy black ; under 

 mandible ashy, but pink at the base ; tarsi and feet dusky. 



These Finches are generally found in pairs, and never con- 

 gregate like Estrelda astrild. Their food consists of grass-seeds ; 

 they frequent rough high grass, hedgerows, and low underwood 

 at the edges of the dense bush. Their nest is generally placed 

 a foot or two from the ground, supported amongst coarse grass ; 

 in shape it much resembles that of Estrelda astrild, but is built of 

 coarser materials and lined with feathers ; the eggs are of a pure 

 white, and from four to six in number. 



235. Estrelda sanguinolenta, Temm. Sanguineous Finch. 

 Male. Iris scarlet ; bill scarlet, but with the gonys and culmen 



black ; tarsi and feet dusky. 



I found a flight of these tiny Finches feeding in some culti- 

 vated grounds near Maritzburg in July ; they were the first I 

 have seen of this species. The plumage of the female was, I 

 think, duller than that of the male. 



