South-eastern Sierra Leone. 243 



The two hens had pendent nests in very high grass ready 

 for eggs on October 2nd, 1904. One had already deposited 

 an egg, which is of ranch the same colour as that of an English 

 Starling and, similarly, without markings. The two nests 

 were not many yards from each other and from a nest of 

 Pyromelana flammiceps. 



130. ClNNAMOPTERYX TRICOLOR. 



Cinnamopteryx tricolor (Hartl.) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. xiii. 

 p. 471 (1890). 



A series of skins from Bo : March, April, May, June, 

 August, and September. Irides and bill black ; feet and 

 <;law r s bluish flesh-coloured. 



A colony of these birds inhabited a large tree in the Mission- 

 ground at Bo. They foraged about the thicker parts of the 

 bush or forest for the greater part of the day, returning 

 towards sundoAvn to the same tree, making a great chat- 

 tering and disturbance. 



131. ESTRILDA OCCIDENTALS. 



Estrilda occidentalis Fraser & Jard. ; Shelley, B. Africa, 

 iv. pt. 1, p. 200 (1905). 



Bo : May, June, July, and August. Bill waxy scarlet ; 

 feet and claws sepia-brown. 



A series of some twenty-four skins. 



Not recorded before north of Fernando Po. 



Four specimens taken to England in 1903 differ consider- 

 ably from the cabinet-specimens in the British Museum. 

 With this larger series it may be necessary to consider the 

 form a separate species or subspecies. This series shews a 

 great preponderance of cocks over hens. 



In August and September they are quite numerous at Bo 

 in some small patches of feathery grass which is in seed at 

 the time, and is cultivated by the natives for food. They 

 settle in these patches of grass, which the natives call 

 " Fundie," in compact little flocks with other Waxbills, 

 Manikins, and Whydahs, and feed upon the seeds, accom- 

 panied by a species of small rat. In September this 

 and the two other species of Waxbill, which for some 



