THE JOURNAL 



OF THE 



SODTH AFRICAN ORNITHOLOGISTS' DNION. 



Vol. IX. DECEMBER 1913. No. 2. 



X. — Xotes on Euplectes xanthomelas, Rilpp. 

 By L, Beresford Mouritz, M.B.O.U. 



The Black-thighed Bishop Bird. Zwartdij KafFervink 

 of the Dutch ; " Isikwe " o£ the Matabele. 



This is tlie commonest Bishop Bird occurring in Southern 

 Rhodesia, and has been found in the following localities : — 

 Melsetter, Salisbury, Fort Chiquaqua, Sipolilo, Sinoia, 

 Gwelo, Hartley, Bembesi, Sebungwe, Wankies, Bulawayo, 

 Matopos, Balalema-Mangwe, Gvvandn, &c. It would there- 

 fore ap})ear that it is found practically throughout the 

 country and is a resident. 



The breeding male has the edge of the wing and axillaries 

 golden-yellow ; lesser and median wing-coverts brilliant 

 golden-yellow ; greater wing-coverts deep bhickish-brown 

 edged with brownish ; primary-coverts, bastard-wing, and 

 quills black ; secondaries black, slightly edged on their 

 outsides with brownish ; under wing-coverts brown, streaked 

 with blackish and tingcid with yellow ; the rest of tho 

 plumage deep velvety black, with the exception of tlie 

 elongated, erectile, fluffy feathers of the lower back and 

 rump, which are deep golden-yellow. The majority of 

 adult males have. also a broad vertical streak of pure white 

 on the lower breast. The change from the sombre winter 



VUL. i\. 6 



