Bulawayo, Suuthern Rhodesia. 167 



138. Vidua regia. 



Vidua regia Stark^ Birds S. Afr. i. p. 143. 



"lutaga." 



Common, and very conspicuous during the breeding- 

 season. The full plumage is assumed during November, and 

 the long tail-feathers are shed again at the beginning of 

 May, otherwise the summer dress persists throughout May 

 until June. 



139. Vidua serina. 



Vidua principalis Stark, Birds S. Afr. i. p. 145. 



Occasionally ;• met with near Bulawayo. I have seen 

 several examples of it in aviaries and have been told that 

 they were caught close to the town. 



140. EUPLECTES XANTHOMELAS. 



Pyromelana capensis xanthomelcena Stark, Birds S. Afr. i. 

 p. 133. 



" Isigwe.^* 



A common resident. The males commence to assume 

 their breeding-plumage at the beginning of November : one 

 of them has some white feathers on the breast and abdomen, 

 and some brown ones on the head and back, interspersed 

 among the black. They must begin to lose their summer 

 garb in March, for I have seen them in full plumage in 

 February, but examples shot on the 18th April, 20th and 

 25th of May are all in their light brown winter dress, 

 although the yellow on the wing-coverts and rump is still 

 quite bright. Unlike Pyromelana sundevalli, this bird usually 

 builds away from water and. singly. A nest taken on 

 January 27th was found in tall grass two or three miles 

 from water. It was made of fine grass and formed into a 

 sphere, about 2^ inches internal diameter, with a circular 

 opening on one side. There were three eggs, bluish green in 

 colour with numerous dark brown spots and splashes. They 

 measure 19 x 14 mm. 



141. PVKOMELANA TAHA. 



Pyromelana taha Stark, Birds S. Afr. i. p. 128. 



1 saw a male of this species, in breeding-plumage, in an 



