318 Mr. A. L. Butler on the 



River close to the Abyssinian frontier. It frequents high 

 grass cover and keeps to the vicinity of water. 



38. Pyromelana fiianciscana (Isert). 



a. <$. Sept. 14, 1901. 



b. ? . Gedaref, June 1901. 



c. S- Khartoum, Oct. 18, 1902. 



d. $ . „ Nov. 7, 1902. 



e. S jr. Jebel Ain, Nov. 26, 1902. 



This most lovely little Bishop-Finch is abundant, and 

 generally distributed where there is dhurra cultivation. 

 From its partiality to this grain it is commonly known as 

 the " Dhurra Bird" among Englishmen in the Soudan. The 

 males begin to assume the nuptial plumage of scarlet 

 and black in August, and by the end of that month or the 

 beginning of September some have completed the change, 

 while others are still in a transition-stage. Between January 

 and March they gradually change back to the brown 

 plumage. 



They breed in close company, building their nests in high 

 grass, growing dhurra, or bushes. The nests are oval in 

 shape, and woven of strips of fine grass, with a side entrance 

 near the top ; the building takes seven or eight days. Three 

 or four eggs are laid, of a bright pale blue. I have seen eggs 

 on Oct. 22nd. 



In 1903 I reared seven of these birds from the nest, taking 

 them very young and feeding them on crushed millet-seed 

 mixed with water. They became charmingly tame, flying 

 on to my arm when their cage was opened, and all scuffling 

 head downwards into the tin of grain which I carried for 

 them. The males assumed the red plumage in the following 

 October, when eight months old, but their first scarlet livery 

 is very much paler and duller than that of older birds. 



A breeding-colony of these birds is a most beautiful sight. 

 The males keep fluttering slowly backwards and forwards 

 over the glossy dark green dhurra, now settling on the tallest 

 stems, now rising into the air with every feather puffed out, 

 until they look like living balls of black and scarlet velvet. 



