302 Tivo Bare Whydahs. 



While actually rising- in the air the half-open wings are 

 worked with a very quick shivering' motion, and the feet are also 

 moved up and down very rapidly. The bird springs straight up in 

 the air, sometimes for a few inches, and sometimes to a hei.ght of 

 tw!o feet, and then drops. The whole of the plumage is much 

 pufl"ed out throughout the performance, which is repeated five or six 

 times, with a short interval for rest The game would appear to be 

 somewhat fatiguing, as a tird rarely makes more than five or six 

 jumps at a time witliout a short rest. Only on one occasion was a 

 female pre.sent on the play-ground. They very often assume their 

 curious jumping' attitude some little distance "before they arrive at their 

 playground. At night Ihey i-oost in the tall reeds and rushes in the 

 swamp J hollows." 



Ihis, 1891, Mr. Jackson's notes, p. 247 " Seen in flocks in 

 the long grasses," Masai Land, July 22, 1890. 



From G. H. Gurney, Birds from British East Africa 

 Ibis, 1909, p. 489.' 

 Drephanoplectes jacksoni, Sharpe. 

 Jackson's Whydali. 



"Bill pale brown, Iris brown; legs brown. 

 Jackson's Whydah was very common at Naivasha and a long 

 series was obtained, the males varying enormously in the extent of 

 the breeding-plumage; by March 9th the majority were in nearly 

 full dress, though on the 12th I shot two males out of one flock, 

 one of which "was still entirely in its mottled brown plumage, wihile 

 thei other w;as in very nearly full breedingj-plumagie. Parties of forty 

 or fifty females were generally accompanied by seven or eight 

 males. This species makes rather remarkable playing-grounds for it- 

 self, though I only saw the males using them; each playground 

 is round and generally rather more than two feet across ; the ^rass 

 is completely trampled down except for a tuft, which is left stand- 

 ing in the middle. It is a most extraordinary sight to see the males 

 in full breeding plumage with, a tail a foot long performing in these 

 diancing -grounds. They begin by scratching with their feet in the 

 ground, and make the earth fly out beneath their tails, which thtey 

 hold straight up, almost touching the back of their heads; in tli,is 

 position they have ^ ridiculous similarity to little cocks; they then 

 spring into the air four or five times with quivering wings and 

 feathers much puffed out, after a short rest the whole performance 

 is repeated." 



Visits to Members' Aviaries. 



By Wesley T. Page, F.Z.S., Etc. 

 {Continued from page 268). 

 Dr. Amsier has kindly sent me bare records of his successes and 

 failures, which I have written into the account of my visit, adding greatly 

 I think, to its interest. 



