2 Mr. A. Haagner on the Protective 



a pomhre-coloured feathering, and generally manages to pass 

 unobserved amongst its surroundings. On the other hand, the 

 males are often very gaudily attired, which is true of a large 

 number of the Ploceidce. This is the case with the Bishop 

 Birds (Pyromelana), the males of which may be numbered 

 amongst South Africa's most beautiful birds, while the 

 females are little brown-coloured objects, whose coloration, 

 blending, as it does, with the grass and reeds of their 

 favourite haunts, renders them almost invisible to the casual 

 eye. The same remarks apply to the Widow Birds 

 (ViduincB). Can anyone imagine anything more conspicuous 

 than the Long-tailed Widow Bird {CoUopasser procne), or 

 even the smaller Red-collared species (C. ardens) ? Yet their 

 spouses are the very opposite, resembling the females of the 

 Pyroraelana in their sombre dress, which is of very material 

 assistance to them amongst the long grass of the veld, and 

 especially so in the nesting-season. During the winter 

 months, when the cock birds have doffed their showy attire, 

 they have the same advantage as the females of an incon- 

 spicuous plumage. This is also the case with regard to the 

 Pin-tailed Widow ( Vidua principalis) and the remainder of 

 the species of Vidua ; also the Red-billed Weaver (Quelea 

 guelea). 



One of the reasons for the gaudy attire of the males — or 

 rather lack of protective colouring — may be the more or less 

 polygamous habits these birds are accredited with. An 

 interesting case is that of the little Scaly-feathered Weaver 

 (^Sporopipes squamifrons), which is a denizen of bushy country, 

 where iis light brown plumage lends itself admirably towards 

 the concealment of the bird ; even during the winter months, 

 when the camel-thorns and mimosas {Acacia giraffa' and 

 A. horrida) are devoid of leaves, their inconspicuous dress is 

 of enormous value in aiding them to find a hiding-place. The 

 second subfamily — the Estrildince — is a large one, containing 

 those well-known little birds called Rooibekkies (from the 

 colour of their billsj and Tinktinkies (from their call). Two 

 of the commoner species of Kstrelda, the Red-breasted 

 and Black-laced Waxbills {E, astrilda and E. erytlironotd), 



