OdH a 
446 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
flock of long-tailed Whydah birds (Chera progne), and found seeds and 
insects in its stomach. During Mr. Jameson’s expedition it was met 
with at Kooroomoorooi Pan, and Mr. Ayres writes :—“ These birds 
are exceedingly local, for I have only met with them at the present 
spot and on the Crocodile River close to its junction with the Marico. 
The nest is placed high up in a large tree and is composed of long 
twigs and coarse grass and measures about three feet in diameter. 
It is so roughly put together that one can sce through it excepting 
close to the centre. The birds roost in these nests which are pro- 
bably used year after year. They feed upon seeds, berries, and 
insects.” Mr. Andersson gives the following note :—‘‘ This large 
finch-like bird is rather common in Damara Land and also in the 
Lake regions, where it is known to the natives by the name of 
‘Isaba Gushoa.’ It is a noisy species, gregarious in its habits, 
breeding in colonies, and constructing many nests in the same tree: 
it seems to prefer the giraffe-acacia for the purpose of nidification ; 
and it is curious that when these birds have used a tree for this 
purpose it usually withers in a short time after the building of the 
nest is completed ; but whether birds instinctively select such trees 
as have a tendency to decay, Iam unable to say. The collective 
nests consist externally of an immense mass of dry twigs and sticks, 
in which are to be found from four to six separate nests or holes of 
an oval form, composed of grass only, but united to each other by 
intricate masses of sticks, defying the ingress of any intruder except 
a small snake. In each of these separate holes are laid three or 
four eggs, exactly resembling sparrows’ eggs, but much larger. I 
obtained no less than forty of these eggs (all much incubated) on 
January 29th, from two low trees standing close together, at Amatoni, 
in latitude 18° south ; and on the following day the birds were busy 
in repairing one of the collective nests, which had been injured 
during the collection of the eggs which it contained. I believe these 
nests are annually added to; for, so far as I have been able to see, ; 
the same nest is retained for several consecutive seasons. This 
species is said by Dr. Smith to be a frequent attendant on the para- 
sites which infest the hide of that quadruped : I have never observed 
this in Damara Land, which may be owing to the buffalo being a 
scarce animal in that country. ‘The irides in this species are brown.” 
The present species has also been found by Senor Anchieta, at Humbe 
on the Cunene River and at Quillengues, Gambos and Caconda, 
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