URAGINTHUS ANGOLENSIS 185 
Cavendish at Mapicuti, near Sofala Bay. Mr. Guy Marshall 
writes: ‘‘ Though common along the Umfuli, this Waxbill 
is scarce near Salisbury, usually occurring in pairs. I have 
‘not found its nest in Mashonaland, but in Natal it builds 
in mimosa bushes, making a rough unlined nest of fine grass, 
with an entrance at the side. An interesting fact is that the 
nest is almost invariably placed in close proximity to, or even 
touching, one or more of the hanging nests of a powerful 
social wasp (Belenogaster rufipennis), as though the birds were 
aware that these would form an admirable protection against 
many enemies.” ‘I'he selection made by small birds of the 
proximity to wasps’ nests for the protection of their own was 
first recorded, I believe, by Fischer in a letter from Zanzibar, 
March, 1878, published J. f. O., 1878, p. 281, in which he 
specially refers to U. bengalus ; Mr. Jackson also remarked this 
habit in Spermestes scutatus. 
At the Zambesi the present species has been met with by 
Sir John Kirk, and Mr. Boyd Alexander writes: ‘‘ Common, 
and generally seen in pairs. On January 17 we found a nest 
almost ready for eggs among the small branches of an acacia 
bush and about fifteen feet up. It was loosely constructed of 
dry grass and presented a somewhat untidy appearance.” In 
British Central Africa Mr. Percival found it numerous in 
December, in company with other small Waxbills, in the 
Shiré district. Others have been collected at Zomba, Mpimbi, 
on Mount Mlosa, and the Nyika Plateau, by Mr. Alexander 
Whyte, at Lake Shirwa by Sir Alfred Sharpe, and at Monkey 
Bay, on the west of Nyasa Lake, by Dr. P. Rendall. 
From Lake Nyasa northward it is replaced by the very 
nearly allied form U. bengalus, which is scarcely more than 
a subspecies, being distinguishable by the colouring of the 
head in the adult males only. 
