168 Mr. E. C. Chubb on the Birds of 



aviary on March 30. It had been caught near the town, 

 and is said to have been very common here a few years 

 ago. 



142. Pyromelana sundevalli. 

 Py?'omelana oryx Stark, Birds S. Afr. i. p. 126. 

 ''Isigwe ubonvu." 



Common, noticeably so during the summer. It nests in 

 reeds near water, from the end of November to March ; 

 and by the end of April the gorgeous breeding-plumage is 

 entirely lost. There is a colony with some hundred nests 

 near the Waterworks reservoirs. The newly hatched chicks 

 have a pink skin with a few straggly yellow down-feathers. 



143. Quelea quelea. 



Quelea quelea Stark, Birds S. Afr. i. p. 122. 



Very common during the winter, when it congregates in 

 lai'ge flocks. I saw one among a colony of Pyromelana 

 sundevalli last December. 



144. Amadina erythrocephala. 



Amadina erythrocephala Stark, Birds S. Afr. i. p. 118 

 (1900). 



This species is not uncommon, and is often caught for 

 aviaries. I have no knowledge of its breeding here. 



145. ZONOGASTRIS MELBA. 



Pytelia melba Stark, Birds S. Afr. i. p. 89. 



" Uwatvvatwayana." 



A very common resident. Usually seen in pairs during 

 the i^ummer, but in winter often associating with the flocks 

 of Sporopipes squamifrons. 



The young male resembles the adult females, except that 

 the barring on the breast and abdomen is only faintly 

 indicated and the wash of olive on the back is much paler. 



146. Sporopipes squamifrons. 



Sjjoropipes squamifrons Stark, Birds S. Afr. i. p. 86. 



'^ Indhlala." 



An exceedingly common species throughout the year. 



