on the Coast of South Africa. 79 



few yards, still keeping concealed amongst the thick foliage, 

 though its note is often heard as it creeps through the net- 

 work of boughs. The beak is of a very pale horn-grey, shaded 

 with black on the culmen towards the tip ; legs lilac-pink ; 

 irides dark brown. 



93. Hyphantornis spilonota (Vigors). Cape-Weaver. 



I met with a flock of this Weaver in the open country to 

 the east of the Umgeni, and shot two in very bad plumage ; 

 one had the irides bright yellow, the other had them brown — 

 being probably male and female. 



94. EuPLECTES TAHA, Smith. Taha Bishop bird. 



I saw this species both in Cape colony and near Pinetown 

 in marshy localities. 



95. Vidua principalis (Linn.). Dominican Widow bird. 

 I met with it in Cape colony, and also about Durban and 



Pinetown. 



96. Urobrachya axillaris (Smith). Scarlet-shouldered 

 Reed-Finch. 



Not uncommon about Durban and Pinetowai, where it fre- 

 quents the reedy districts. On the wing it has a curious slow 

 flapping flight, very similar to that of the Hoopoe. 



97. NioBE ARDENS, Rcich. Red-collared Reed- Finch. 

 Tolerably abundant at Pinetown, where it frequents marshy 



spots. 



98. Pyrenestes albifrons (Vig.). White-fronted Gros- 

 beak. 



I have shot this species at Durban and to the east of the 

 Umgeni; bat it does not appear to be common. 



99. Estrelda astrild (Linn.). Waxbill. 



Very common about Durban and Pinetown and in Cape 

 colony. It is also the most abundant bird in St. Helena, 

 where it has been introduced. I took a nest of this species 

 at Pinetown on the 17th of March ; it was placed on the 

 ground in a thick tuft of grass, and contained five pure white 

 eggs. The nest was larger but of the same shape as that of 



