The Oologists' Record, March i, 1921. 



turquoise-blue. The nests arc frail transparent purses, slung at a 

 height of from four or five feet between a couple of stems of tall 

 grass, usually in a dense belt of it such as is found along the Kilindini 

 arm. • 



Serinus icterus icterus {Vieill.). The Mo,(;ambique Serin was the 

 only finch found breeding, and though I noted many old nests and 

 one with young I found but a single egg. The nest was small and 

 hidden among short tufty leaves of a thorn bush about seven feet from 

 the ground, and hned with shredded fibre only. After experience 

 of S. i. barhatus {Hcugl.) of Uganda, S. i. icterus {Vieill.) of the coast, 

 and S. i. madardszi, Rchw., of Nyasaland, it may be put on record 

 that there is no perceptible difference in the song, nesting habits or 

 eggs of these three sub-species. 



Mirafra fischeri {Rchw). Fischer's Castanet Lark was the only 

 one of its family noted. Like M. apiata {Vieill.) of the Cape, 

 M . rufipilea {Vieill.) of the Orange Free State, and M . rufocinnamomea 

 {Salvad.) of Central Africa (all of which make the curious castanet 

 noise with the wings in flight), this bird domes its nest over. It is 

 very hard to find, as the bird ordinarily runs from it for yards through 

 the grass before getting up. In late July, 1918, during rain, one 

 rose at my feet from the sodden grass and I obtained a clutch of 

 3 eggs, heavily marked all over. 



Phyllastrephus fiaviventris mombasce {Shell.). In igi8 I sought 

 in -vain for the nest of the Mombasa Bulbul in dense thickets where 

 the bird itself is usually to be heard. This year I stumbled upon 

 two nests by seeing the bird fly off at close quarters. The first 

 (29th July, 1920) was about four feet from the ground in a wait-a-bit 

 thorn. The nest was small and frail, but otherwise like that of a 

 Pycnonotus and no better hidden : the bush was very lightly leaved. 

 Base of nest was a little shredded grass, lining of fine dead leaves 

 and rootlets ; no hair, wool or cocoons. The second nest (28th 

 August, 1920) was better concealed : it was two feet from the ground 

 near the top of a very small green shrub which was growing up 

 through the low branches of a larger tree. The lining in this case 

 was of dead tendrils. The clutch was two in each case. 



Pycnonotus layardi, Gum. The notes of Layard's Bulbul are 

 rather like those of the last and one may imagine it more common 

 than it is. However, I found more old nests of this than of any other 

 bird. Three contained eggs, rather smaller than those of birds from 



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