E<jr/s frooi Moinit Chiiinda^ Soiitlieni Rhodesia. 7 



])()int where a thick horizontal bou<;h broke off into three 

 branches ; 4 ft., lyint;- loosely but securely in a branch of 

 suckers springing from a good-sized BracJiystfgia ; 4 ft., 

 placed flat on the top of a decapitated sLuni]) of a Uapaca 

 kirkiana, and hemmed in closely by the suckers that had 

 sprung up all round ; 4^ ft., in the thick fourfold fork of a 

 Comhretum splendens. 



The above series is interesting as indicating a marked pre- 

 ference for an innnensely solid nesting-site with, preferably, 

 a superabundance of additional side-support. This seems a 

 natural enough predilection when we consider the looseness 

 with which the nest is usually pieced together, and the fact 

 that it is seldom or never attached in any way to its supports. 

 The elevation was, in no less than eight cases out of the 

 eleven, 3200 ft. ; two nests were at about 3500 ft., and only 

 one at the 3800 ft. level. Tiiis accords with my oun previous 

 and subsequent experience, but is j)robal)!y ex[)lained by the 

 fact that the birds appear to prefer tbe type of country 

 (widely scattered trees standing in long dense grass) that 

 they have found at the lower elevation. Only three of the 

 nests are in my possession. 



23. An exceedingly flimsy structure of small roots, in- 

 cluding a few ferns, and a few equall}'^ fine twigs. 



44. Loose and flimsy ; diameter 4*5 inches ; excepting 

 for a few dry herbaceous stems encircling it on the outside, 

 it is composed entirelj* of not very fine roots ; such as still 

 have a portion of the stem attached are unmistakably those 

 of grasses. 



54. More solid and compact than usual, composed entirely 

 of small roots with a slight outer casing of dry twigs. JJiam. 

 4 in. by 3. 



Eggs, hi Nos. 44, 54, GO, 24, 30, and 11 the streaks are 

 of the reddish brown-madder type with the usual underlying- 

 markings of iron- to violet-grey ; in No. 7 they are a yellowish 

 brown, and 23 is to some extent intermediate, though nearer 

 44 &c. In 10 and 83 the brown-madder is cooler in tone. 

 In 8 the equivalent markings are scanty and confii.ed 

 chiefly to a thin zone of sepia spots and short streaks, with 



