ment and watch the grotesque attitudes into which these extraordinary 

 birds put themselves. 



The distribution of this weaver-bird appears to be very great, and from 

 the number of localities in which it has been procured by many ornitho- 

 logists shows that it occupies in its migrations the whole of the central 

 portion of Africa. 



The vast humid reed-covered swamps of the interior are the homes of 

 this beautiful bird ; in these situations they assemble in countless hundreds, 

 and during the breeding season suspend their globular grass nests on the 

 tall reeds. 



This species was first separated from the more southern form (Euplectes 

 oryx) by Mr. W. Swainson in 1837, who described it from a skin sent 

 from Senegal, and although easily recognised by its black wings, it has 

 been confused with the South and East African birds of the same genera, 

 in which the wings are dull brown. 



During the Niger Expedition in 1840, Mr. Louis Eraser found it 

 " common about Cape Coast, West xYfrica, fi-equenting the Indian-corn 

 plantations," and placed it under the name Euplectes oryx. In 18-17 it was 

 obtained by Dr. Gordon at Cape Coast Castle, where according to his 

 observations " they are very familiar, and hop from branch to branch, 

 within a few yards of the person who visits their retreats." 



In Angola, according to Mr. J. J. Monteii'o, it was " very common at 

 Bembe, Cambambe, and about the river Quanza, but not seen on the coast ; 

 keeping always among the high grass " ; and Dr. Welwitsch obtained it at 

 Golunffo also in the interior of Anj^ola. 



Major Harris brought home examples from Abyssinia ; specimens 

 were also collected by Dr. Petit in Abyssinia in 1840 while travelling 

 with M. T. Lefebvre's expedition, which were described by M. 0. des 

 Murs under the name Loxia {Euplectes) Petiti. 



Captain J. H. Speke also found it at Mininga, in Central East Africa, 

 where he says it " flies about in large flocks, feeding ha corn-fields, and 

 roosting at night in the rushes in the swamps." 



Ilerr von Ileuglin says he found "this magnificent Fire-Finch breeding 

 in almost solitary couples in August and September in the high grass and 

 thickets in tlie territory of the Djur and the Kosanga rivers. The nests 

 are built like those of E. ignicolor, and contain three verdigris-green eggs, 



