— 17'? — 



for the non- sitting bird or is it only to give the visitor the 

 idea that it is the nest itself? In the latter case attention would 

 be directed to this superstructure and the nest itself, with young 

 or eggs, would be, perhaps, more protected from the unpleasant 

 visits of man or beast. 



Almost unnoticed the birds slipped in and out and when- 

 ever one of the parents approached the nest it suddenly dived 

 into the grass about 5 meters from the nest and in a few mo- 

 ments was sitting on the eggs. 



The nest contained 5 white eggs of the following measure- 

 ments: 



1. 13 X 10.5 mm. 4. 13 X 5.10 mm. 



2. 13X5.10 mm. 5. 13 X 10 mm. 



3. 14 X 10 mm. 



In form the eggs were oval without any pronounced thick 

 or thin end. The shells of two of the eggs were extremely 

 glossy but those of the other three dull and lustreless. Small, 

 fine pores were spread all over the surface of the shell. 



All these 6 specimens have white throats and lack the 

 blood -red longitudinal stripe on the belly but have a more or 

 less pronounced red tinge on the lower parts. Cheeks whitish. 

 I have compared them with the specimens in the Berlin Museum 

 and have came to the conclusion that they must undoubtedly 

 be placed under the above. Besides, Prof. 0. Neumann 

 has been kind enough to examine them closely and he also 

 considered them to belong to this form, so there can be no doubt 

 about the matter at all. It is true, Neumann gives the wing- 

 measurement to 46 — 47 mm. but, as appears from the table 

 below, the measurements for my specimens are greater and ap- 

 proach those for the South Abessynian form E. a. peasei Shelley, 

 for which Neumann gives 50 — 53 mm., but Sc later & 

 Mackworth-Praed give an average of 50 mm. and for 

 E. a. nyansae an average of 48 mm. 



Wing, tarsus, 



47, 47, 49, 50, 50 mm. 13—14 mm. cfd* 



48, 48, 49 mm 14 mm. 99- 



Neumann gives the distribution of this race to the West 

 coast of Victoria Nyanza and probably also the north and east coast 

 of the same lake. But Sclater & Mackworth-Praed 

 fixes it to Uganda and Belgian Congo. 



Irides, bill and legs as in preceding race. 



Estrilda nonnula (Hartl.). — Rchw. III. p. 188. 

 2 (5(5 ad. 4. and 7. 5.; 1 Q ad. 4. 5. Londiani, 



I saw this bird only at Londianj (there in large flocks) and 

 in single individuals at Eldoret. 



12 



