300 Tt^'O Bare WJiydahs. 



" This liird has a curious habit of making' a playground for 

 itself. I noticed several in the long grass, and I sa\V tlfe male 

 evidently playing as it darted several times into the air to a hiei'^jht 

 of about four feet, and then darted down again. Their " nlaying- 

 gTouiid " is evidently la work of some time, as the grass is all woi'u 

 away in an irregu'ai' cicle with the exception of a small tuft left 

 in the ceulre with two or three little recesses at the base, which 

 are evidently the result of the birds' play." 



No. 90. cf juv. Lumbwa, October 8th, 1889. — Iridcs brown; 

 legs slaty flesh-colour. 



Tenth etria lauticaiula . 



Mr. G. H. Gurney on "Birds frcm British East Africa. Ibis 

 1909, p. 489. 



12. FenUiclria luticwuda. Eed-naped Vv'hydah. Iris l)r(jwu; 

 bill black; legs brown. 



Tlie lled-naped Whydah was only olitained near the native 

 Shamba^' in the Reserve at Kallima Thcki, and was by no means 

 ciommon there; on April 12th two males were shot which were 

 both in mottled plumagie. 



Capt. G. E. Slieiley on Birds frcm Eastern Africa. 



Ccliusjjasser latictvuda (Licht.) 



".Only seen in one place on the S.W. slopes of the nriunfaiu 

 (Kilima-njaro, May 1887) where they were fairly I'lentilul and evi- 

 dently breeding." 



Jackson's ok Droo ping-tailed Wiiydait (Drcpanoplec- 

 tes jacksoni). Another haadsome species, which apart from 

 the Zoo specimens, 'and the one referred to in my opening re- 

 marks, is unknown to English aviculture. Though not so 

 brightly clad as the preceding species, it is yet a more attract- 

 ive bird — while heavily built, it is graceful, and, yet, at the 

 same time very grotesque. Its movements amid the branches 

 and on the ground are extremely interesting — on tlie ground 

 when displaying or playing, while in colour this appears to 

 be almost continuous, except when visiting the seed pan; it 

 is a miniature replica of a bantam fowl, and a glance at Mr. 

 Goodchild's characteristic drawing will confirm this. At the 

 recent club meeting this species came in for a great deal of 

 notice and was greatly admired; personally, I must confess 

 to a very fetrong liking and admiration for it. It appeals to 

 me, even more, than the elegant and beautiful Queen Whydah 

 which was figured and described in " B.N." Vol. V., pages 



5—7. 



Habitat: East Africa, reputed to be common around 



Nairobi. 



