ESTRILDA ASTRILD 197 
generally in some convenient indentation sheltered by a clump 
of grass. The little elongated entrance of the nest is placed 
rather forward, with the end of it touching the ground. On 
the top of the nest is a sort of chamber, in which, the Caffres 
assure me, the male bird roosts at night during the incubation 
of the female.’’ According to Stark: ‘“ Although several hens 
occasionally lay in the same nest, this is, according to my own 
experience, by no means always the case. More usually the 
nest is constructed by a single cock and hen, who both help in 
the building, and who generally sit alternately on the eggs; 
but at night, and occasionally by day, together. The eggs laid 
by a single hen are from three to five in number. They are 
pure white in colour; in shape usually elongated ovals, 
averaging 0°6 x 0°35.” The Messrs. Butler, Feilding and 
Reid write: ‘ Nests found at Richmond Road, in December, 
were tenanted by several birds,” and further, “ the eggs were 
of a lovely pink colour before being blown. From one nest 
examined by Reid five or six birds were seen to fly. Are they 
also polygamous like the Viduas.” A nest I found, on 
March 17, 1874, was placed on the ground in a thick tuft of 
grass, and contained five white eggs. The nest was larger but 
of the same shape as that of our Common Wren, with a well- 
hidden aperture, was very thick and composed entirely, outside 
and in, of a wiry green grass. 
The following notes should refer to LH. astrild damarensis, 
Reichen. There are in the British Museum three specimens 
from Damaraland collected by Andersson, who found the 
species common in the southern districts of Damaraland, as 
well as in some parts of Great Namaqualand, and according 
to Mr. Fleck, it is generally distributed in large flocks over 
these countries and the Lake Ngami district. I do not find 
the pale colouring very constant in the three specimens above 
mentioned. 
