136 Dr. E. Hopkinson — The Yellow-backed Whydah


it is certainly more common to the south than to the north of the river,

and apparently never extends more than, say, 40 or 50 miles inland.

Even in Kombo, where it is more or less plentiful, it is a very local

bird, and never found far from the mangroves.


After an interval of a good many years I have once more got one

of these birds, caught in Niumi at a place called Tubab Kolong, almost

on the same day and almost on the same spot where I saw my first

Niumi bird thirteen years ago. I have looked up my old diaries and

the notes I used to keep in former years on my birds, when T had more

time, and also, I suppose, more inclination. These give certain details

about these birds both in wild life and captivity, which may be of

interest. One thing they seem to show is that the date at which the

males come into colour varies with the age of the bird (as observation

abroad also seems to indicate), and that this change may be delayed

(and sometimes perhaps advanced) by various causes, such as captivity

or the change from freedom to captivity.


I will commence with extracts from my old Gambia bird-diaries :—

1902. June. Have five among the three cages of small birds I am

taking home. One has yellow shoulders and jdark wings,

the others are quite off colour, and look like large out-of-

colour Bishops, but have a more greenish tinge than these,

I had one other cock with more yellow, but it died within

twenty-four hours. They were all caught in Kombo close to

Bathurst.


1906. Jan. I think 1 found old nests of this bird in the swamp at

Nianimaru. (1919. No. I now know that the nests were those

oj the Crimson-crowned Bishop.)


1907. May 27. Near the Cape (Kombo) I saw a nearly black bird

with yellow shoulder-patches attended by two uncoloured

blackish birds ; they were the size of a " Kaffir Finch ", which

at first I thought they were, and later Caterpillar-catchers

(which I only know from descriptions).


June 18. Saw another at Tuba-Kolong in Niumi ; very like the


first bird, but not so much black.

June 25. Essau, Niumi. Saw another, half black and with


shoulders (not back), yellow. No long tail. I think these must



