MIRAFRA NEVIA. 525 
especially in Ondonga. On the 25th of April, I found its nest in 
the last-named locality, containing three eggs of a very elongated 
form, and much pointed at one end. Other nests which I met with 
on various occasions were either empty or contained young birds. 
The nest is composed of fine grasses, and is built upon the ground 
into which the lower portion of it is sunk to the depth of two or 
three inches; it is placed between and resting against two stout 
plants, and is round and dome-shaped, with one large opening to 
the southward, the side farthest from the wind and rain. Iam always 
delighted to hear this bird as it makes the welkin ring with its 
sonorous song and call, composed of a series of notes, which it utters 
either when perched on a tree, or when moving from one spot to 
another. Whilst thus flying and singing it may be seen alternately 
to open and close its wings, sometimes almost bringing them to 
meet over its back, when it appears for the moment to be suspended 
in the air. 
Adult male in summer plumage.—Above sandy rufous, with dark 
brown centres to the feathers, the head with rather paler sandy 
margins ; the hind neck distinctly inclining to ashy, and separating 
the head from the back; scapulars blackish in centre, with very 
broad margins of sandy rufous on each side; wing-coverts coloured 
like the back, with concealed blackish centres to the feathers, which 
are margined with sandy, shading off into fulvous on the extreme 
edge, the greater series more broadly margined, the primary coverts 
more narrowly; quills blackish, the primaries narrowly tipped 
with greyish white and margined externally with sandy rufous, the 
secondaries much more broadly, and bordered with fulvous on their 
extreme edge; upper tail-coverts sandy rufous, inclining to brown 
in the centre of the feathers, and narrowly tipped with greyish buff; 
tail black, very narrowly margined and tipped with sandy buff, the 
centre feathers broadly margined with sandy rufous, the outermost 
externally margined with a narrow edging of light sandy colour, 
changing to white at extreme tip: lores and a tolerably plain eye- 
brow isabelline ; feathers in front of the eye dusky, those under it 
isabelline, and marked with blackish ; ear-coverts dark brown, very 
plainly and regularly streaked with sandy buff; throat and cheeks 
white, the latter washed with isabelline on the chest and sides 
of the body, the lower throat and chest plainly spotted with 
triangular markings of light brown ; under wing-coverts ashy brown, 
