BreediiKj-lIablls of the Pin-tailed Widow JJird. 9 



dams : the first found on 20.8.01 contained one fresb eii^r, and 

 the second on 10.9.01 contained three hard-set eogs. 



728. ^GiALiTis TRicoLLARis. (Three-banded Plover.) 

 The time for fresh eggs in tlie districts of Potchefstroom, 

 Winburg, and Upper Natal is from August 15-31. 



732. ^GiALiTis PECUARIA. (Kittlitz's Sand Plover.) 

 A clerical error in vol. iv. says I took eggs at " Mooi R." ; 

 it should read " Ladysmith." Time for fresh eggs, both at 

 Potchefstroom and Ladysmith, is i'rom August 15-31. 



739. ToTANUS NEBULARius. (Greenshank.) 

 I observed this bird both at Mooi River and Ladysmith in 

 the month of September. 



751. Gallinago major. (Double Snipe.) 



Was common on the Eastern Vlei, Durban, in Nov. '99, 

 and bags of ten or twelve couple were made before breakfast 

 that year. 



HI. — Remarks on the Breeding -Hahits of the Pin-tailed 

 Widoxo Bird (Vidua principalis). By Austin Roberts. 



The late Dr. Stark, in his excellent work on the ornithology 

 of South Africa, mentions that he found the nests of the 

 Pin-tailed Widow Bird containing young birds, and minutely 

 describes these nests. He writes without, apparently, the 

 least doubt as to the identity of the nests and the young 

 birds. After perusing this article it will be seen how far 

 he was correct, while he little suspected how the young birds 

 happened to be in the nests he discovered. 



Before proceeding, I shall like to draw attention to his 

 following remarks on the subject, which wall be found to 

 bear out my statements to a certain extent : — " The only 

 nests that I have seen contained young birds, from three to 

 four in number. The eggs have not been described. A 

 nest brought to Heuglin in Abyssinia, and ascribed by him 



