Birds of Southern Kamerun. 51 



particular species I. never found at Efulen, but it is common 

 on the Ja, where the open country is more extensive. On 

 my way from the interior down towards Efulen and the coast, 

 at many grassy and reedy places near the streams along the 

 road, I saw little flocks of this species. Perched on grass- 

 stems all around, they would wait till one was almost 

 ■opposite to them on the path, and then fly up together 

 with the faintest little twittering sounds, and move in 

 perfect unison, like a squad of well-drilled little soldiers 

 with their neat black and brown and white uniforms, to a 

 new station a little further on. 



1450. Spermestes poexsis. [Aseleke, or Ejile.] 



Sharpe, Ibis, 1908, p. 314. 



This species is common in every district where I have 

 been, including the Njiem (or Zima) country down the Ja, 

 though, of course, it is confined strictly to the open village- 

 cleariugs. Both kinds of Aseleke are caught by boys in 

 snares baited with tender grains of corn. 



Nests of these birds are not infrequently found in the tops 

 of the small trees about the villages. A very favourite site 

 is in the thick tree-top formed by the sprouts that grow 

 out- from the tall stump left after a tree has been cut down 

 some ten or twelve feet from the ground, as is the common 

 practice near villages, for fear of the wind blowing the tall 

 trees down on the houses. Into such a low and thick tree- 

 top I watched a little Spermestes poensis fly repeatedly, each 

 time bearing a long bunch of the grey beard-like Usneu that 

 it brought from the limb of a tall old forest tree not far 

 away. It flew with evident effort, for the bunch was much 

 longer than the bird itself. This plant is a favourite 

 building-material of this species. Often the outside of the 

 bulky nest is of this, and the inside, with the tubular 

 entrance, is of fine adhesive and hair-like grass-tops. The 

 nest is shaped like a water-bottle laid on its side, with the 

 mouth and neck horizontal. 



Eggs of difi^erent species of Spermestes and Estrilda have 

 been shown me a number of times in the nests, but usually it 



e2 



