Euplectes xantliomelas, RUpp. 81 



crouching females, which remain concealed in the under- 

 growth somewhere. From a distance at such times, with his 

 peculiarly direct but " quivering " flight, he appears like a 

 ball of feathers propelled by some unseen agency, and 

 presents the most bizarre appearance. 



The favourite nesting-site is a vlei, where there is good 

 stout long grass growing ; but it is somewhat of a cos- 

 mopolitan, and I have found it breeding in the aquatic 

 situations favoured by its relative, the I{ed Fink ; and, in 

 the Matopos, even noticed it nesting in tall grass close to the 

 summit of a high kopje. In the Lomagundi District during 

 1910 I had these birds breeding within a few yards of my 

 hut, and therefore had ample opportunity for watching them. 

 It would seem that each cock has three or four mates (if not 

 more in many cases), and that these all build separate 

 habitations, albeit kee^nng within a restricted area. As 

 regards their lord and master, I found that he usually 

 frequented a clump of trees some 50 yards distant, every 

 now and again paying brief visits just to see how things 

 were going on. At other times he would be swaying in the 

 breeze on the topmost bough, uttering his harsh apology for 

 a song, or darting down, giving chase and driving forth from 

 his domain any intruder that happened to catch his eye. 

 Within a short distance of this colony there was an establish- 

 ment of Collared Widow Birds — Coliopasser aniens — and 

 naturally, the cock used to frequently invade the territory of 

 his neighbour, always, however, with somewhat disastrous 

 results and loss of jirestige to himself. For, hampered by his 

 long tail, he was at a disadvantage, and invariably was com- 

 pelled to beat a hasty and undignified retreat before the 

 vigorous onslaught ol' the indignant Fink. In the event of 

 anyone approaching the nesting-site, the male Bishop Bird 

 would immediately be in evidence, and, after warning his 

 harem of danger, would occasionally escort each hen in turn 

 to a place of safety — but more often leaving ihe hens t,o look 

 after themselves — wuuhl hastily return to the aforementioned 

 clump of trees and there parade himseli' with considerable 

 perturbation. 



G* 



