. e ee ge le eee 
SY Ps : 
442 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
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426. Hypnanrornis cananist, Peters. Cabanis’ Weaver. Bird. 
This species belongs to the black-throated section of Hyphantornis, 
but has only two-thirds of the crown black, this colour not extending 
over the crown as far as the length of the culmen. It was described 
by Professor Peters from specimens procured by himself at Inham- 
bane, and it is characterized by him as a small race of H. capitalis 
(= H. velatus). It is known also from Mozambique, and extends 
into the Zanzibar districts. 
427. Hypnanrornis nicrirrons, Oab. Black-fronted Weaver Bird. 
A specimen of this Weaver Bird was in the editor’s collection 
from Natal, and is now in the British Museum, and Captain 
Shelley has a female in his collection from Durban. It would 
appear, however, to be more plentifully distributed in the interior, 
Mr. T. E. Buckley having met with it in Swazi Land, and again in 
the Matabele country at Tati, and in Bamangwato. The late Mr. 
Frank Oates procured specimens at Inyati, and again at Ishokwani, 
near the Semokwe River. It is likewise found further up in 
eastern Africa. Of its nesting habits and general economy nothing 
has as yet been published; Mr, Frank Oates found insects in the 
stomach of one that he killed, and states that in a female bird the 
bill and legs were pinkish, the upper mandible being tinged with 
dusky, and the iris pale reddish hazel. In one male bird he found 
the iris yellowish white, while in another one it was straw-colour. 
The present species has the forehead black, extending over 
three-quarters of the crown of the head, the black portion 
measuring more than the length of the culmen. 
428. Hyprantrornis carrrauis, Lath. Rufous-chested Weaver Bird. 
In the British Museum are specimens of a Weaver Bird which 
are certainly referable to this species; they were collected by Sir 
Andrew Smith somewhere in South Africa, but we have not received 
the species, as far as we know, from any of our correspondents. 
Sir Andrew Smith’s specimens are evidently the bird called by 
Latham the ‘‘ Capital Tanager,” the characters of which appear to be 
a completely black head, black face and throat ; the latter succeeded 
by a strong rufous shade on the breast, while on the hind neck 
there is a collar of bright yellow, which separates the black head 
from the rest of the upper surface. We shall be glad of further 
