DESCRIPTION, DISTRIBUTION, HABITS 



Female : brown, the feathers streaked with black centres. 

 Rump olive-yellow with brown streaks. Lesser and middle 

 wing coverts dark brown with olive-yellow edges. Male in 

 winter plumage is the same as the female. 



Distribution. — From Clanwilliam on the west to the George 

 District on the east in Cape Province. 



Habits. — Frequents vleis, reedy banks of rivers, marshes, 

 and open veld-lands. The nest is a domed, carefully- woven 

 structure of fine grass, with a side entrance. The nest is usually 

 attached by its sides to three or four reed stems. Eggs, 4 ; 

 pale greenish-blue, spotted, blotched, and lined with dark brown 

 and slate colour ; size, 0.85 by 0,60. 



Paradise Widow Bird {Vidua paradisea). (Vol. L, 

 p. 207.) 



Description. — Adult male in breeding plumage : head, face, 

 and throat jet black. Collar around neck mahoganv-red 

 extending down the breast, and fading to buff on the abdomen. 

 Edge of wing mottled black and white. Upper surface and tail 

 black. A white spot on each side of the lower back. Tail 

 long and flowing. Iris reddish-brown. Bill black. Feet 

 brown. 



Length, to end of longest tail feathers, 14.75 ; tail, 12.00 ; 

 wing, 3.00. 



Female : brown streaked with black. Upper tail coverts 

 black with white edging. Tail feathers lightlv tipped with white 

 and edged with rufous. Under surfaces buff-white, washed with 

 tawny red. Tail, 2^ in. long. 



Distribution. — Eastern Pro\'ince of the Cape and north to 

 the Soudan. 



Habits. — Frequents the long grass of the open bush-veld. 

 The male is polygamous, and has from a dozen to fiftv mates. 

 The nest is domed and made of fine grass, and hidden in a tuft 

 of coarse grass. 



VOL. II. 81 6 



