FllINGILLID.'E. 171 



in the neighbourhood of water and in humid situations, 

 where it breeds, constructing its nest of strong grasses 

 and suspending it between the stalks of two or three 

 reeds. 



The iris in this species is dark brown ; the legs and 

 toes straw-brown ; the upper mandible of the bill dark 

 horn-colour, the lower in some specimens of the same 

 colour as the upper, in others of a yellowish-white horn- 

 colour. 



Measurements of a male and a female : — 



Female, 

 in. liu. 



.... 5 9 



.... .3 



.... 10 



.... 9 



.... 2 



.... 8 



[I have not seen a Damara example of this species ; bnt, from 

 the measurements above cited and a description contained in 

 Mr. Andersson's MS., I liave no doubt his identification of it is 

 correct. With reference to the variation of the colouring of the 

 under mandible in this species remarked by Mr, Andersson, it 

 Avould appear, from the account given by Mr. Layard {loc. cit.), 

 that it is black during the breeding-season, and horn-coloured 

 at other times. — Ed.] 



205. Euplectes taha, Smith. Taha Bishop bird. 

 Et(plectes taha, Smith's Zool. of S. Africa, pi. 7. 

 Ploceus abyssmicus, Strickland & Sclater, Birds Damar., Contr. Orii. 



1852, p. 150. 

 Ploceus taha, Layard's Cat. No. .367. 



Euplectes taha, Chapman's Travels in S. Afr., App. p. 401. 

 „ „ Sharpe's Cat. No. 592. 



1 do not recollect having met with this bird in Great 



