566 Mr. G. L. Bates on the Breeding-Seasons 



exceptions are in the genera Spermospiza and Amhlyospiza. 

 These seem to breed in the half of the year from June to 

 December, and not in the half from December to June, 

 as do the birds which follow. 



The Spermestine Weavers. — Examination of the birds of 

 this large group shews a very different result from that 

 obtained in any other group of species, in that all the breeding- 

 birds are found in a distinct half of the year. The males 

 of Pyromelana flammiceps assume their gorgeous breeding- 

 plumage in July, and lose it about January ; there is no 

 doubt that the species breeds only in the second half of the 

 calendar year. The Widow-bird ( Vidua serena) , which has 

 also conspicuous breeding-plumage, has been seen in this 

 plumage in the same months of the year as Pyromelana, 

 though it has not been observed so often. In the little birds 

 belonging to Spermestes, Estrilda (including Sporceginthus) , 

 Pytelia, and Nigrita there is no such change of plumage ; 

 for all the examples of these species in a duller plumage 

 that T have seen I take to be immature. Yet all these 

 small Spermestina have the same breeding-season as Pyro- 

 melana and Vidua; for the large number of specimens which 

 I have examined shew none breeding in the first half of 

 the year, and many in the second half. But in some cases 

 there are breeding-birds in June, in which case we must say 

 that the breeding-season begins early. The genus Nigrita, 

 too, shews two or three exceptional instances of breeding- 

 birds in May and January ; but these months border on 

 the regular breeding-months. With these exceptions none 

 of the scores of individuals of these Weavers examined were 

 found breeding in the first half of the year. The few 

 specimens of Pyrenestes form no exception to the rule. 

 The genera Amblyospiza and Spermospiza agree with the 

 Spermestinoe in respect of the breeding-season. 



There is nothing in the changes of seasons in Southern 

 Kamerun that seems to account for the habit these birds 

 have of breeding at a distinct part of the year only. 



