62 UROBRACHYA AXILLARIS 
obscured, as if washed over by the ground colour; 0°8 
SEU tie 
The late Dr. Stark gives the following account of the habits 
of the species: ‘* Like all the members of this genus, they are 
polygamous in their habits, and in spring the handsome males, 
looking very brilliant and spruce in their recently acquired 
plumage of velvety black, with scarlet and orange epaulettes, 
may be seen flitting over the reeds or grass with a curious 
‘flopping’ flight, each one attended and closely followed in all 
its movements by ten or twelve females, insignificant-looking 
little brown birds, which nearly always keep close together in 
a ‘bunch’ a few yards behind their lord and master. About 
the beginning of November the females separate and com- 
mence building their nests. These are never very close 
together, although they are all within a certain distance that 
the male seems to look upon as his own exclusive property, 
and from which he drives other males of his kind, as well as 
those of the much larger and stronger Coliopasser procne who, 
hampered by their long tails, stand no chance in a fight with 
their smaller but much more active antagonist. Hach female 
builds and occupies a separate nest. During the time she is 
sitting, the male stations himself on a tall weed somewhere 
near the centre of his harem, and keeps a sharp look-out for 
intruders; occasionally flying round to see how matters are 
progressing at his various establishments. Should a man or 
other dangerous enemy approach, he flies to each nest in 
succession with a warning note, upon which the sitting females 
leave their nests, creep under the grass for some yards, then 
rise on the wing to follow him to a distance. The nest, 
usually built in the centre of a tuft of grass, from eight inches 
to a foot off the ground, is a beautifully light and airy struc- 
ture, oval in shape and domed, with a side entrance near the 
top; it measures about four inches and a half in height, and 
