4 
PHILETHRUS sSocius. 449 
435, AmBLyoselzA ALBIFRoNS, Vigors. White-fronted Weaver Bird. 
Pyrenestes frontalis, Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 191. 
Sir Andrew Smith states that the present species inhabits the 
forests on the eastern frontier and in Natal, feeding upon berries and 
small fruits. On the 13th September, 1870, Mr. J. C. Rickard 
wrote to us from Hast London: “TI have just obtained a nice speci- 
men of P. frontalis, I think, but I could not ascertain the sex by 
dissection. It has the white forehead, as in Smith’s plate, but the 
plumage has not so much of that warm brown tint as there shown. 
Nearly all the feathers are narrowly edged with greyish-white, giving 
it a sealed appearance. The bill is also darker in colour; the lower 
mandible lighter than the upper; the culmen runs well up on the 
forehead, dividing the white into two distinct patches. In the 
stomach was a quantity of hard substance like broken cherry stones, 
evidently the remains of wild plum stones.” 
From Mr. Rickard’s description we should fancy this must have 
been a young bird bred somewhere in the neighbourhood. Captain 
Trevelyan tells us that it is rare near Kingwilliamstown, and he only 
procured one specimen during his stay in British Kaffraria. Mr. F. 
A. Barratt found the species in the Macamac goldfields, but it 
appears to be entirely confined to South Africa, and does not extend 
beyond the Zambesi. 
General colour, orange-coloured brown, with the feathers on each 
side of the upper mandible white, and a speculum of the same colour 
on the wings, formed by all the quill-feathers being white at their 
base. Length, 7” 4” ; wing, 3” 9 ’’; tail, 3”. 
Fig. Smith, Ill. Zool. 8. Afr. pl. 61. 
436. Puinerxrvus socius, Lath. Sociable Weaver Bird. 
This bird is most abundant inthe interior, Sir A. Smith looks upon 
Latakoo as its metropolis; but we have heard of it in great numbers 
all over Damara Land, and even as low down as Namaqua Land. 
Being the builder of the huge nests so often mentioned by travellers, 
it is well known. Eggs three or four, bluish-white, mottled at 
the large end with small brown dots. Feeds on seeds and insects. 
The following note is given by Mr. Ayres in his paper on the 
birds of the Transvaal :—“I first met with this curious bird near the 
Vaal River, where there were several colonies amongst the large 
camel-thorn trees. Their huge nests were very conspicuous at a 
2a 
