84 Mr. U. M. Seth-Smith,


RANDOM NOTES ON BIRDS AND NESTS IN


UGANDA.


By L. M. Seth-Smith.


I have been asked to write a few notes on the birds met

with in Uganda, and so intend jotting down a few facts which

have, from time to time, come under my notice, and which may

possibly interest onr members. I do not pretend that the obser¬

vations are being noted now for the first time, but I think that

corroboration of other observers has its uses.


One sees it stated sometimes that Sunbirds do not hover,

and, although this statement has been contradicted by others, I

would like to repeat that they do fiequently hover for a second

or two whilst catching minute insects on the wing, and some¬

times at flowers.


Whether dates of nesting are of any scientific value or not

I cannot say, as some bird or another seems to be nesting at

almost all seasons; however, I will jot down dates of a few as I

come to them.


The Kilimanjaro Bronze Sunbird (Ncciarhiia kilimensis )

was seen building near Kampala on the 17th of September,

1905; the nest was almost oveihanging the roadway, and was

right at the end of, and hanging from, a long branch, about ten

feet from the ground. It was of oval shape with a hole in the

side and lined with thistle-down or something similar.


When in Toro, some years later, I saw a nest very much

like it, but much smaller, and, on reaching it, I found there was

no entrance to it at all, and could not understand it, until I broke

it open to find that it was not a bird’s nest, but a nest of cocoons

of some moth (species of Bombyx ).


I11 early January the grass becomes sufficiently dry to

burn well and, at this period, one sees fires all over the country,

which the natives light so as to get good succulent grass as

soon as the first shower conies on. As soon as a grass fire is

started birds immediately congregate. Swallows and Kites are

most numerous and, at times, they appear to almost dash through

the flames to catch some insect prize driven out by the smoke,

and while the charred remains of grass are still hot, birds come



