196 ESTRILDA ASTRILD 
Mapicuti, and paler specimens from Damaraland, the H. astrild 
damarensis, Reichenow. The most northern range for L. astrild 
is the Zambesi, where it is plentiful, according to Mr. Boyd 
Alexander, who procured specimens there of it as well as of 
EH. minor. 
From this river southward to Cape Colony it is abundant 
and very generally distributed. In Mashonaland Mr. Guy 
Marshall “ found it sometimes in very large flocks, along rivers 
and on cultivated lands.” Frank Oates obtained specimens at 
Tati in Matabele. According to ‘‘Sharpe’s ed. Layard’s B. 8. 
Afr.,” they congregate in immense flocks throughout Cape 
Colony and do considerable damage to the grain crops. Their 
little shrill pipmg note may be heard even in the towns. They 
are said by Layard to breed in communities, and he was told 
that several pairs will at times make use of a single nest, laying 
and sitting in it promiscuously, and sometimes three or four 
together. ‘The nest,” he writes, “is of a large structure, 
composed of straw, grasses, feathers, wool, paper, rags, &Xc. 
It is often as large as a stable bucket, round, and with an 
entrance in the side. The interior is a mass of feathers, and 
the eggs from eight to fourteen in number.” Mr. Atmore 
writes: ‘‘ The inside is very warm and comfortable, and what 
may be called the frame work of the nest is very nicely con- 
trived so that all the ear-ends of the grasses are woven 
together to form the pipe where the entrance is. This nest 
was in a thicket of brambles and fern about six inches from the 
ground. Even after the bird flew out it required a good 
search before I could find it. There were twelve eggs in it 
(whether more than one lays in a nest, I cannot say, but only 
one flew out), they were in all stages of incubation—two not 
set, and four or five had the young birds so large I could not 
blow them.” Mr. Ayres gives the following further notes: 
“‘T found several nests of these birds all built upon the ground, 
