Mr. W. R. Ogilvie-Grant on a rare Weaver-bird. 435 



1213. PoDICIPES CR1STATUS (Liutl.). 



At least six pairs of Great Crested Grebes nested this 

 spring on Kouklia reservoir. I obtained the first eggs on 

 May the 6th from Mr. A. Douglas. 



XIX. — Note on a rare Weaver-bird (Othyphantes batesi). 

 By W. R. Ogilvte-Grant, M.B.O.U. 



(Plate VI.) 



This very handsome species of Weaver-bird was described 

 by the late Dr. Bovvdler Sharpe as Othyphantes batesi from 

 a female procured by Mr. G. L. Bates on the River Ja, 

 Cameroon (cf. Ibis, 1908, p. 318). The type-specimen, 

 which bears the collector's number 1372, has the cheeks olive- 

 yellow mixed with black, and is evidently not quite mature. 

 Subsequently the same collector forwarded to the British 

 Museum an adult male bird, shot at Kumangola, River Ja, 

 which he believed to be referable to the same species, and 

 Dr. Sharpe exhibited it as such [cf. Bull. B. O. C. xxv. p. 41 

 (1909)]. 



Mr. Bates's description is as follows : — 



"Adult male. — Somewhat resembles the male of Sitagra 

 brachyptera (Swains.), from which it differs chiefly in having 

 the crown and entire sides of the head chestnut and in lacking 

 the black patch behind the eye, while the upper parts are 

 darker olive-green. The chin is chestnut and the yellow of the 

 under parts commences directly below the black throat. Iris 

 dark brown ; bill black ; feet bluish-grey. Total length about 

 55 inches; culmen 0"7; wing 2*85; tail 1'85; tarsus 075. 



" Hab. River Ja, Cameroon, 17th November, 1908." 



The types-pecimen, as already stated, is not quite mature, 

 and Mr. Bates informs us that in the fully adult female 

 the " sides of the head are perfectly black/' In the type- 

 specimen the bastard primary is longer than in the adult 

 male and measures 105 inch, as compared with 0'7 inch, but 

 this, no doubt, is also a sign of immaturity. 



The lower figure in Plate VI. represents the not quite 

 adult female and the upper figure the adult male. 



2f2 



