132 PHILETAIRUS ARNAUDI 
branch is actually included within its substance. Hach female 
lays from three to four eggs, which are of a bluish-white 
colour and freely mottled towards the large end with small 
brown dots. When once this species has attained maturity, 
it never afterwards exhibits any change in respect to colours. 
The male has no summer tints which he throws aside in 
winter, as is the case in Huplectes. Seeds, and occasionally 
small insects, constitute the food.” 
Mr. Ayres met with the species near the Vaal River ‘in 
July, 1869 (midwinter), when the birds, in flocks of from 
thirty to forty, were still inhabiting their nests, in which they 
appear to sleep all the year round.” According to Stark, 
these nest-structures comprise from twenty to three hundred 
separate habitations, each warmly lined with feathers, but, 
nevertheless, these birds are extremely pugnacious. ‘‘ The 
egos are three or four in number, and vary a good deal in 
shape and colour. As a rule they are rounded ovates, but 
some are very elongated. The ground colour is some shade 
of drab, and they are more or less spotted all over with 
small dots of brown and greyish purple. They average 0°75 
x 0°52.” 
Philetairus arnaudi. 
Nigrita arnaudi, Bp. Consp. i. p. 444 (1850) White Nile. 
Philewterus arnaudi, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii. p. 250 (1890); Shelley, 
B. Afr. I. No. 375 (1896) ; Nehrkorn, Kat. Hiers. p. 124 (1899) egg. 
Pseudonigrita arnaudi, Reichen. Vog. Afr. iii. p. 171 (1904). 
Fringilla (Pyrgita) molybdocephala, Heugl. Syst. Uebers. p. 41 (1856, 
nom. nud.). 
Philzterus emini (non Reichen.), Sharpe, Ibis, 1891, p. 249, Machako’s. 
Adults. General plumage pale drab brown; forehead, crown and nape 
greyish white; lesser wing-coverts dusky black, with broad grey edges ; 
quills brownish black, the secondaries with very broad pale drab edges 
extending over the whole outer web on the inner quills; under wing-coverts 
