32 Mr. Austin Roberts on 



taken show a considerable variation in size, the extremes 

 being, in actual specimens, 24 x 20 and 32*5 x 20'5, and in 

 the aggregate, 24-32*5 X L9'3-21 mm. The bundles o£ 

 thorny twigs contained about six nesting chambers, which 

 were lined with green grass, and it is not unusual to find 

 half-a-dozen of the bundles in one tree. 



Bower Finch (Plocppasser maliali). — This species is found 

 locally to the N.W. and N E. of the pan. It has been said 

 of this species that its eggs are laid on a platform between 

 the two entrances to the nest ; but I certainly have never 

 found such to be the case, special nests being always con- 

 structed with only one entrance, the eggs being deposited in 

 a large chamber at the opposite side, at the place where the 

 second entrance is situated in the other nests. Eggs are 

 laid during the early summer months, two to four forming 

 a clutch ; they are beautifully coloured as a rule, being of 

 some shade of pink, with beautiful marblings of darker pink, 

 })urplish, and dark red ; sometimes they are uniform pink ; 

 they measure 22"5-25*3 X 15*3-17 mm. 



Scaly - feathered Weaver {Sporojnpes squamifrons). — 

 Although this species is essentially a winter-breeding bird, 

 a nest was taken at Platriver on 19th November. The 

 Sparrow-like eggs measure 15*2-10x11*4-11*7 mm. 



Cabanis Weaver {Ploceus cabamsi). — This species has a 

 remarkable likeness to Ploceus auricajnllus, side by side with 

 which it is often found nesting ; it is to be recognized, 

 however, by its blue-grey coloured legs and feet and less 

 brightly coloured rump. The nests are thinly woven 

 structures, round at the chamber, and with a long entrance 

 leading up to it ; fine strips of reed-blades are used in con- 

 struction, and little lining, if any, is added. The eggs are 

 always pure white, rather elongated in shape, and measure 

 20*7-23*5 X 13-7-15-4 nun. Nests are attached either to 

 reeds or to the drooping br;inches of tall trees ; they are 

 often to be seen in the branches of tall trees in the city of 

 Pretoria. I have taken eggs and seen yoinig Itirds of the 



