Expedition to the Zambesi River. ' 571 



composed of pieces of Indian corn-blades and lined with fine 

 grass-bents and Gninea-fovvl featbers. The eggs, three i'ti 

 number and much incubated, were white, and had average 

 measurements of 5'8x4'6 inches. 



In our series the adult males have the white spots on the 

 sides of the breast well defined. An adult female shot on 

 January 5 has these spots also clearly, and at the same time 

 more numerously, marked ; while two females obtained four 

 months earlier, on September 6, do not possess any of these 

 spots, and the crimson on the lores is less conspicuous. Thesie 

 breast-markings, therefore, appear to come with age. An 

 immature male with a few feathers becoming crimson on 

 the chin and forehead, obtained on August 10, resembles in 

 plumage these two females. 



41. Pytelia melba (Linn.). 



Locally distributed, the male sex predominating. In 

 September the young were abroad. On one occasion, 

 September 8, we observed a pair of birds feeding four young- 

 ones perched in a row on a branch, and they were by no 

 means shy, allowing of a close approach. The adults had then 

 commenced to moult and were not in good plumage again 

 till the middle of January. In the males the coloration of 

 the plumage varies considerably in intensity. The scarlet 

 of the rump and tail-feathers is very conspicuous in flight. 



Adult cJ . Bill crimson ; iris red ; legs and feet light 

 brown. 



42. Hypargus NiVEiGUTTATus (Petcrs). 



By no means common. A single specimen obtained near 

 Tete. 



43. Ploceipasser pectoralis (Petei's). 



Wherever the woods were composed of Copuiftra mupane 

 this species was numerous, distributing itself in colonies, 

 each selecting a clump of trees, whose outside branches the 

 birds festooned from top to bottom, generally on the lee side, 

 with their nests. These " weaveries " were nearly always 

 located near the confines of a village or close to a native 

 path, their owners welcoming a passer-by with loud choruses 



