NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



grey, tinged with crimson. Some small white spots are present 

 on the sides of the body. Iris dusky. Upper parts of bill 

 blackish ; lower, ashy with a pink base. Legs and feet dusky. 



Length, 4.75 ; tail, 1.90 ; wing, 2.00. 

 The female is duller in colouring. 



Distribution. — On the eastern side of South Africa from 

 Graham's Town to the Limpopo River. 



Habits. — Generally seen in pairs on the veld, rough pasture 

 lands, and amidst scrub. The nest is circular in shape, and is 

 made of grass stems roughly twined together. The inside is 

 lined with feathers. It is concealed in a tuft of long grass about 

 6 in. from the ground. Clutch, 4 to 6 ; eggs pure white ; 

 size, 0.58 by 0.45. 



Scaly-feathered Weaver Bird (Sporopipes squamifrons). 

 (Vol. I., p. 198.) 



Description. — Head black, each feather margined with 

 white. Body colour light brown. Feathers in front and below 

 the eyes black. The chin and a streak on each side of the 

 throat black. Centre part of throat pure white. Feathers on 

 the head and throat have a scaly appearance. Iris light brown. 

 Bill pink. Feet fleshy. 



Length, 4.30 ; tail, 1.75 ; wing, 2.25. 



Female smaller, but similar in colour to the male. 



Distribution. — Southern Africa from the Cape to Ngami 

 and Benguela. 



Habits. — These dainty little birds associate in flocks. They 

 are common along the bush-fringed banks of the Orange River. 

 They feed upon the ground on seeds of grasses and insects. 

 The nest is an untidy-looking domed mass of grass in a bush. 

 The entrance is at the side and is concealed by the ends of the 

 grass which composes the nest. The interior is lined with feathers 

 or down. The eggs are 4 to 5 in number, colour pale blue- 

 green marked, blotched and scrawled with brown and rufous. 

 The eggs vary somewhat in shape and colour. 



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