466 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
Darban. Captain Shelley met with it near Pinetown, and Mr. F, A. 
Barratt writes :—“<T found this bird flying about the reeds which 
skirt the ditches, &c. I shot my first specimen near the Modder 
River, near Bloemfontein. It is very plentiful at Potchefstroom, 
about the skirts of the vleys or swamps adjoining the town. I have. 
got them all the way up from the Modder River to Potchefstroom, 
near Bloemfontein, Rustenberg, Pretoria, Nazareth, and I think I 
saw a few near the goldfields.” 
Mr. Ayres observes :—“ During the winter months these birds are 
found congregating with EH. swndevalli, and in equal numbers ; but 
in the summer they are not found with their winter associates, and 
the greater number of them leave us, though some are occasionally 
met with in the rusty and reedy vleys, where they probably breed. 
The males are at this season exceedingly beautiful; I can only 
compare them to butterflies; they puff out all their feathers and 
appear like balls of black and yellow floating slowly about over the 
grass, evidently courting their less gaudy loves hidden hard by 
among the long rushes.” Mr, Andersson has published the following 
note:—“I do not recollect having met with this bird in Great 
Namaqua Land or in southern Damara Land; but it breeds in great 
abundance in Ondonga, and I have also seen specimens from Lake’ 
N’gami. It is found in flocks amongst trees, as well as on the reedy 
banks of rivers and in marshes, where it suspends its nest amongst 
the tall stalks of reeds and coarse grasses. The nest is composed of 
fine grass woven somewhat closely together ; the eggs are six or seven 
in number, white, but sprinkled all over with minute brown specks.” 
Male.—In summer plumage black; the crown of the head, back, 
rump, vent, and a narrow oblique stripe on each side of the breast, 
immediately in front of the shoulders, bright yellow; wings and tail 
grey brown; thighs pale yellow, speckled with brown. 
Female.—In winter plumage, above, pale yellowish-brown ;. head 
and neck freely dashed with longitudinal brownish-black stripes ; 
back and rump the same; under parts greyish-white; throat and 
breast tinged with sienna yellow, and with the flanks variegated 
by longitudinal brown streaks. Length, 4” 9’; wing, 2’’ 7/’’; 
tail, 1” 1.’ Iris dusky ; tarsi and feet dusky brown; the male has 
the bill black in summer, but in winter dusky pale, darkest along 
the ridge (Ayres). 
Fig. Smith, Il. Zool. 8. Afr. pl. 7. 
