during a journey to the Matabili Country. 381 



EUPLECTES CAPENSIS (L.). 



<S . Drakenberg, Natal, December 19tb, 1873. 



Beak black ; legs dark brown ; iris dark hazel. 



A common bird from Natal to the Matabili. In the young 

 male the beak is bro^^i and the legs of a lighter colour ; but 

 this is most likely the winter colouring as well ; the fcathei-s 

 are then almost uniformly of a brown colour, the rump and 

 shoulders of the wing bearing traces of yellow. 



EuPLECTES ORYX (L.) . 



cJ . Transvaal, December 16, 1873. 



Beak black ; legs light brown ; iris dark hazel. 



A very common species in the Transvaal, breeding in large 

 colonies among the reeds in the'' vleys,^' where there was always 

 water between them and the bank. It was a pretty sight to see 

 the sjjlendidly coloured males flying in eveiy direction ; on 

 being disturbed they generally took a long turn over the land 

 and then returned to their nests. The latter are constructed of 

 dried grass, domed over, with a hole at the side ; the eggs, 

 three in number, are blue spotted slightly with brown. 



Vidua principalis (L.). 



a, S • Natal, December 27th, 1873. 



Beak crimson ; legs greyish black ; iris dark hazel. 



b, ^ . Drakenberg, December 20th, 1873. 



I do not remember meeting this Whydah bird out of Natal ; 

 it was common in the latter comitry. 



Vidua regia, L. 



a, S • Limpopo, Nov. 15, 1873. 



Beak pink ; legs pinkish brown ; iris dark hazel, 



Chera progne (Bodd.). 



One of the commonest, and at the same time the most 

 noticeable Weaverbird in the Transvaal, north of which 

 country we did not meet with it. Their long tails form an 

 incumbrance in a high gale of wind, so that they may almost 

 be run down. We found the males very common during the 

 breeding-season, but never succeeded in secui'iug a female. 

 The natives call this bird Sac-a-bula, and prize its long tail- 

 feathers as an ornament for their hair. 



