Ornithology of the Egyptian Soudan. 319 



39. QUELEA ^THIOPICA (Suntlcv.). 



a. £. Mesjid, Blue Nile, March 31, 1901. 



b. ? . Gedaref, June 1901. 



Very common in large flights on both the Blue and White 

 Niles. Towards the end of May 1901 these birds were in 

 immense flights at Gedaref, drinking at pools left in the 

 rocky khors in tens of thousands. At the beginning of June 

 they were just beginning to assume the nuptial plumage. 

 I have occasionally seen them in Khartoum. 



40. Amadina fasciata (Gm.). 



a. cJ. Doka, May 11, 1901. 



b. S- R. Setit, May 7, 1903. 



I have met with the Cut-throat Finch in large flocks near 

 Gallabat, on the Upper Atbara and Setit, and in Kordofan. 



41. Uroloncha cantans (Gm.). 

 a. ? . Kawa, Nov. 13, 1902. 



The African Silver- bill is one of the very commonest 

 Soudan Finches, and I have met with it almost everywhere 

 that I have been, from the Atbara across to Kordofan, and 

 from Shendi southwards to Fashoda. 



At the wells of Bara, north of El Obeid, in April 1904, 

 this bird was in thousands. It may be found breeding at 

 any time of the year, nesting in thatched roofs, date-palms, 

 and thorn-bushes. 



42. Estrilda phcenicotis (Swainson) . 



a. ? . Gallabat, May 8, 1901. 



The Cordon-Bleu Waxbill occurs throughout the country 

 in suitable localities and is an abundant species. It is 

 common all along the Blue Nile above Wad Medani, on the 

 Bahad and Dinder, at Gallabat and on the Upper Atbara and 

 Setit, on the White Nile, and in Kordofan. 



A nest which I found at Jebel Ain on the White Nile on 

 Nov. 15, 1902, was egg-shaped with a hole at the side, com- 

 posed entirely -of fine yellow grass, and placed low down at 

 the bottom of a thorn-bush, where the same yellow grass was 



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