Breeding -Habits of the Pin-tailed Widow Bird 11 



when walking through the " bush/' I thought I would have 

 a look at a nest I had found a few days previously, which 

 had then only two eggs of the usual Common Waxbill type. 

 When close to the nest a hen of the Pin-tailed Widow Bird 

 flew from it and alighted upon a neighbouring tree, wiping 

 her beak as she did so, and remaining there until I approached 

 quite close. In the passage leading into the nesting-chamber 

 I found a half-devoured egg, and in the chamber itself four 

 whole eggs, one of them larger than the others. I conclude 

 from what I saw that the bird I disturbed was in the act of 

 devouring a Waxbill's egg to make room for her own. As 

 already stated, the Pin-tailed Widow Bird does not confine 

 itself to depositing one egg in each nest. I have frequently 

 found two, and in one case discovered a nest in which the 

 whole clutch of five eggs was replaced by those of the 

 Pin-tailed Widow Bird. This I am sure about, as when I 

 first found the nest some of the eggs were larger than the 

 others ; and on leaving them to hatch, I found when again 

 visiting the nest that they were all of the larger size, and the 

 nest deserted. 



It will be seen how easily Dr. Stark may have been 

 deceived with regard to the identity of the nest he found, 

 presuming that he formed his conclusions on seeing the 

 young birds only. The nest brought to Heuglin was probably 

 similarly identified. 



In concluding I must express a hope that other South 

 African oologists will take the matter up and examine with 

 greater care all nests of Waxbills which they may come 

 across, and, not only for my own satisfaction, but for 

 naturalists generally, publish their observations in this 

 Journal. 



