Expedition to the Zambesi River. 



567 



33. Pyromelana flammiceps (Swains.). 



Not so commoa as P. simdevalli, from which they can be 

 readily distinguished in flight by their larger size and blackish 

 wings. The song of the male bird is peculiar — a running 

 voluble " tiz/' uttered from the depths of some reed-bed, 

 being especially loud after rain. 



34. Pyromelana sundevalli (Bp.). 



This form appears to be well founded. It is the northern 

 race of P. oryx, from which it differs in being smaller^ the 

 black on the head and throat more restricted, and the red 

 on the breast more extended. Our birds, of which we have 

 a fine series, agree in plumage and measurements with those 

 in the British Museum obtained by Livingstone on the 

 Zambesi, and also with two specimens from Mpindi, Upper 

 Shire river, which latter, in our opinion, should be referred 

 to P. sundevalli, and not to P. nigrifrons. 



P. oryx. 



Wing. Culmen, 



in. in. 



Adult (S , Transvaal 3*1 06 



„ Natal 3-0 0-54 



„ Potchefstroom 3-2 0-6 



,, Bloemfontein 3'0 0'56 



„ Maritzburg 2-9 0-53 



„ Elands Post 2-86 0-59 



The range of P. sundevalli should therefore be from 

 Damaraland to Benguela and from the Zambesi to the Lake 

 regions. 



This is the most plentiful of ^11 the Weavers, being common 



2q 2 



