Expedition to the Zambesi River. 73 



the approach of danger. Besides ground-insects, their food 

 consists to a great extent of fresh buds of various trees, 

 especially those of the acacia, upon the topmost branches 

 of which they may be observed busily and silently feeding 

 off the young shoots. 



Breeding commences towards the middle of November. 

 On our return down the river, after leaving Chicowa, we 

 discovered a nest on January 27th, and, while breakfasting 

 near the spot, we had ample time to identify the birds. The 

 nest was placed on one of the spreading branches of a thorny 

 bush. It was very fragile and small for the size of the bird : 

 it was constructed of dried bents, with somewhat finer bents 

 for a lining. It contained two eggs (probably the second 

 lay), which were much incubated. 



Desc7'iption of the Eggs : — Ground-colour dirty white, 

 spotted, blotched, and clouded with olive-brown, with under- 

 lying markings of a greenish brown and more thickly round 

 the larger end. Average measurements '97 inch by "65. 



77. Phyllostrophus strepitans (Keichen.). 



Not found on the lower reaches of the river. We first 

 met with the bird about 50 miles below Zumbo, where it 

 was rather plentiful in the thick undergrowth of the woods 

 near the river. We generally observed it in parties, but in 

 pairs towards the end of December, when the specimens 

 obtained had the sexual organs in breeding condition. 

 At that time these birds threw off their usual skulking 

 habits, and became bold and very noisy, answering one 

 another from different parts of the wood with their harsh 

 '' churr, churr " notes, uttered several times in succession, 

 and which, on one^s approach, would assume a scolding 

 expression. 



78. Eremomela helenorjE, sp. nov. 



Eremomela helenorcB Alexander, Bull. B. O. C. viii. p. xlviii. 



Most nearly allied to E. polioxantha, but smaller in size, 

 and differing in the following particulars : the feathers of the 

 rump are olive-yellow, and not ashy-grey washed with olive ; 

 secondaries tipped with white ; axillaries ashy white, not 



