574 Mr. B. Alexautler — An Oni'itholoyical 



47. Xanthophilus xanthops (Hartl.). 



We first met with this s})ecies at ChieoAva^ frequenting the 

 shady portions of the river's bank in pairs and in company 

 with Bulbuls {Pycnonotus layardi). As we journeyed further 

 west they became more plentiful, and at the end of November 

 building had commenced. The tunnelled nests were hung 

 from pendent branches of thick bushes near running water, 

 and were never in colonies like those of other Weavers, but 

 each pair of birds had their own particular thicket. The 

 song of the male is a loud running chatter, kept up without 

 intermission for some seconds. The plumage of the immature 

 male is similar to that of the adult female. 



Adult ^ . Total length (measured in flesh) 7'5 inches, 

 wing 3 54. Iris yellow ; bill black ; legs and feet brown. 



Adult ? . Total length (measured in flesh) 7 inches, 

 wing 3'4. Iris lemon-yellow ; upper mandible brownish 

 horn, low^er lighter. 



48. Hyphantornis shelleyi Sharpe. 



We found this Weaver breeding in considerable colonies 

 in high trees at Zunibo towards the end of December. The 

 adult females in the breeding-season have the entire under 

 surface a rich yellow like the throat, while the immature 

 females, with the exception of a few feathers becoming 

 yellow, have the breast and abdomeu white, similar to the 

 adult females of H. vitellinus. In Cat. Brit. Mus. vol. xiii. 

 p. 464, the inference made by Dr. Sharpe that "males in 

 winter plumage have the entire under surface yellow like the 

 throat, instead of the abdomen white," should therefore be 

 referred to the adult female in breeding-plumage, and the 

 description of his adult female to that of the immature bird. 

 This change of plumage in the females of this species is 

 identical with that of H. nigriceps, and the same is probably 

 the case with the females of H. cabanisi. 



During our stay at Zumbo we had a good opportunity of 

 observing the breeding-habits of this Weaver. The males 

 were continually at work building the nests, while the 

 females hardly ever came near them, but were always abroad. 



