Mashonaland Birds. 241 



Mashonalandj though I have seen but few round Salisbury. 

 Mr. J. G. Millais has given an admirable account of the 

 species in his magnificent book ' A Breath from the Veldt.' 



88. Vidua PRrNCiPALis. (Common Widow-bird.) 



A fairly common resident, occurring in small flocks in 

 open country near streams and swamps, and feeding on grass- 

 seeds. 



89. Penthetria ardens. (Red-collared Widow-bird.) 

 This species is only to be found in large reedy swamps, 



where, however, it is fairly plentiful, though very wary. The 

 male, when showing off, expands the feathers of his curiously- 

 constructed tail vertically, so as to make it appear as deep as 

 possible. He is very much like a small edition of the Saka- 

 bula {Chera progne), a bird, however, which does not appear 

 to occur within the tropics. Stomachs contained seeds and 

 small beetles. 



90. Pyromelana oryx. (Scarlet Bishop-bird.) 



Very local, bnt plentiful wherever large reed-beds are found. 

 There are few prettier sights than the male in his courting 

 flight, floating with feathers puffed up and quivering wings 

 over the green reeds, a living ball of black and scarlet plush. 

 Its stomachs contain seeds, small beetles, and an occasional 

 spider. 



91. Pyromelana xaxthomel.ena. (Black-and- Yellow 

 Bishop-bird.) 



Much more generally distributed than P. oryx, and not so 

 much attached to the reed-beds, but occurring anywhere 

 along streams and rivers, though I have even fonnd it 

 perching on trees at a considerable distance from water. 

 The nest is generally suspended from a twig over water, and 

 roughly but strongly built of coarse grass, the seed-heads of 

 which are ingeniously twisted into the interior of the nest, 

 so as to form a deep soft lining. The eggs (24| x 16| mm.) 

 are of a bluish-green colour, handsomely marked with surface- 

 blotches of both dai'k and light brown, and underlying 

 patches of violet-grey. 



