Birds of the Gold Coast Colony «Src. 303 



especially towards evening, the birds may be observed flying 

 from their high points of vantage after insects, and then 

 returning to their perches in the manner of Flycatchers. 



60. Pachyphantes superciliosus (Shelley). 

 Hyphantornis superciliosus Shelley, Ibis^ 1873. p. 140; 



Sharpe, Cat. B. xiii. p. 470 (1890). 



Ploceus superciliosus Reichen. J. f. O. 1891, p. 388 ; id. 

 J. f. O. 1897, p. 38 (Togoland). 



Not by any means a common Weaver-bird, but obtained 

 at Pong. 



61. Hyphanturgus brachypterus (Sw.). 

 Hyphanturgus brachypterus Shelley, B. Afr. i. p. 38. 

 Symplectes brachypterus Reichen. J. f. O. 1891, p. 387, 



et 1897, p. 36 (Togoland). 



Ad. S c?.' 10/6/00, Cape Coast. Ad. S ?, 3/7/00; 

 ad. (^ ?, 11/8/00, Prahsu. Ad. ?, 17/1/01; ad. ?, 

 18/4/01, Gambaga. Ad. ? , imm. ? , Pong, 25/5/01. 



Cape Coast, Prahsu, Gambaga, and Pong. 



This is a common species in the wooded portions of the 

 Colony, but not in the Hinterland. In the immature bird 

 the upper mandible is pale brown, the lower one light horn- 

 coloured. 



62. Hyphantornis cucullatus (Miill.). 

 Hyphantornis cucullatus Sharpe, Cat. B. xiii. p. 451 ; 



Hartert, Nov. Zool. vi. p. 414 (1899) (Gambaga). 



Ploceus cucullatus Reichen. J. f. O. 1891, p. 387; id. 

 J. f. O. 1897, p. 87 (Togoland). 



Very abundant at Cape Coast, where it suspends its nests 

 from the higher branches of the tall cotton- and acacia-trees, 

 which are often festooned with an enormous number of them. 

 In the Hinterland the bird again becomes common, the big 

 baobab-trees around the native villages forming the centres 

 of its nesting-colonies. In May these colonies are full of 

 activity — new nests are constructed close to those of the 

 previous season, and the loud running chatter of the males 

 may be heard as they court their mates at the entrance of 



