166 BIRDS OF DAM AHA LAND. 



small snake. In each of these separate holes are laid 

 three or four eggs, exactly resembling Sparrows' eggs, 

 but much larger. I obtained no less than forty of these 

 eggs (all much incubated), on January 29th, from two 

 low trees standing close together, at x\matoni, in lati- 

 tude 18° south ; and on the following day the birds were 

 busy in repairing one of the collective nests, which had 

 been injured during the collection of the eggs which it 

 contained. I believe these nests are annually added to ; 

 for, so far as I have been able to see, the same nest is 

 retained for several consecutive seasons. 



This species is said by Dr. Smith to be a frequent 

 attendant on the buffalo, and to feed on the parasites 

 which infest the hide of that quadruped : I have never 

 observed this in Damara Land, which may be owing to 

 the buffalo being a scarce animal in that country. 



The irides in this species are brown. 



[Sir A. SmitVs account of this bird attending on the South- 

 African buffalo is confirmed by Dr. Livingstone, vide ' Mission- 

 ary Travels/ p. 545. — Ed.] 



200. Plocepasser mahali, Smith. White-browed Weaver bird. 

 PloccjxdiHr inaliiili, Siiiitli's Zool. of S. Africa, pi. (io. 



„ „ Stricklaud & Sclater, Birds Damar., Coiitr, Urn. 



1852, p. loO. 

 „ „ Layard's Cat. No. 372. 



„ „ Chapman's Travels in S. Air., App. p. 401. 



Shaii-)e's Cat. No. 578. 



])amara Land proper would seem to be the stronghold 

 of this species ; but 1 have also found it abundant at Lake 

 Ngami and in the neighbourhood of the Okavango, and it 



