118 BIRD ARCHITECTS 



terminal portion, the edges being buff, giving these regions 

 a scaly appearance ; forepart of face, chin and upper part 

 of throat, black. Length, 5| inches. This bird is chiefly 

 remarkable for the hayrick-like nest it builds. This 

 consists of a structure of grass resembling the thatched 

 roof of a Kaffir hut, and is placed in a camel-thorn or mimosa 

 tree. The lower surface is honeycombed with cavities, 

 lined with feathers, which constitute the nesting places. 

 Dozens of pairs of birds nest under one roof. It lays 

 three or four eggs of a brownish- drab spotted with brown 

 and pale purplish. 



The Eed-headed Weaver-Finch (Amadina erytlirocejjhdhi) 

 is of an ashy-grey colour above (the males possess a red 

 head) and below of a scaly appearance, these regions being 

 banded with bars of black and white. Length, 5 to 5| 

 inches. It is a sociable bird, resembling the Cape Sparrow 

 (Mossie) in its general habits. It builds a large, rambling 

 structure not unlike that of a Sparrow, and lays three white 

 eggs during the months of March to June. It is " local " 

 in distribution, and was very common on Modderfontcin, 

 Transvaal, until 1900, even breeding there, but since the 

 war it has become exceedingly scarce, only appearing occa- 

 sionally as " partial migrants." 



There is a smaller species in the north (A. fasciata) cha- 

 racterised by a crimson band across the throat (no red 

 head) in the males. This bird has been fairly common in 

 the Pretoria District during recent years. It is generally 

 called the " cut-throat." 



BISHOP AND WIDOW BIRDS 



The genus Pyromelana contains a few well-known and 

 conspicuous birds, the first of which is the Eed Bishop- 

 Bird or Kaffir- fink (P. oryx), too well known in its 



