HYPHAXTORNIS NIGRICEPS 419 



assist by pulling one end of the grass througli, then pushing 

 it back again to the male. Many nests are abandoned before 

 completion and others commenced, probably by the young 

 beginners ; other nests fall down from the twig to which they 

 are attached giving way ; so that the ground below the tree 

 in which these Weaver-Birds are building is often covered with 

 nests in all stages of construction." A somewhat similar 

 remark is made by Dr. Hinde with regard to H. spelcei. 



" The eggs of the Spotted Weaver-Bird varies greatly in 

 colour, almost as much so as those of H. mariqnensis. They 

 are white, l)lue, or green, frequently plain, but as often 

 speckled and spotted with brown and reddish brown. They 

 measure about ()'75 x 0"56, and are usually three in number. 



" These Weaver-Birds feed on grass-seeds and grain, as 

 well as on insects, the nectar of aloes, the Australian ' bottle- 

 brush,' and other flowering shrubs. The young are largely 

 fed on soft insects, caterpillars, and various larvae." 



This species is very similar in size and colouring to H. 

 nigriceps, with the exception of the top of the head, which 

 is entirely bright yellow in full plumaged males. 



Hyphantornis nigriceps. (Pi- W, fig. i.) 



Hj'phantornis nigricei^s, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 180 (1867) Kuruman ; 



Sbarpe, Cat. B. M. xiii. p. 456 (1890) ; Shelley B. Afr. I. No. 561 



(1896) ; Nehrkorn, Kat. Eiers, p. 130 {IS9Q) egg. 

 Ploceus nigriceps, Reichen. Vog. Afr. iii. p. 62 (1904). 



Male in full plumage. Entire head and the throat black ; remainder of 

 the neck and the under parts bright golden yellow ; in some specimens from 

 Nyasaland the yellow of the hind neck encroached on the black of the crown, 

 in others it is divided by a broad black parting mottled with yellow spots ; 

 back mottled black, with broad bright yellow ends to the feathers and ashy 

 grey bases, the latter sometimes showing on the lower back ; upper tail- 

 coverts and tail olive brown washed with yellow ; wings blackish brown, 

 with yellow edges to the feathers ; under wing-coverts and broad inner 

 edges to the quills yellowish buff, the former mottled with dusky brown on 



