ESTRILDA MELPODA 218 
others at Daranka and the Gambia. In the latter district Dr. 
P. Rendall found its nest, hidden in long grass, lightly con- 
structed of that material, and containing seven white eggs ; 
these measure 0°52 x 0°4. At Bo, close to Sierra Leone, Mr. 
Kemp has collected specimens in February, July and August. 
Dr. Buttikofer met with it in Liberia at Oldfield and Schief- 
felinsville. During my visit to the Gold Coast with T. E. 
Buckley we frequently saw it in small parties, feeding on the 
paths, near Cape Coast and Abrobonko; Drs. Reichenow 
and Liihder found it abundant on the plains of Accra, but 
neither they nor myself ever met with it in the hills. Mr. 
Boyd Alexander procured specimens at Kumassi, Kintampo 
and Kwabia, and writes: ‘‘The species is plentiful around 
Kumassi, consorting together in large flocks. We found a 
number of nests attached to the high elephant-grass, which we 
cleared away the day after the fort had been relieved.” Inland, 
at Gambaga, Capt. Giffard procured a pair. In Togoland, at 
the Misahéhe station, Mr. Baumann found it known to the 
natives as the ** Airedje.” 
W. A. Forbes met with it constantly during his expedition 
up the Niger, at Egga, Lukoja and Shonga,. and it is equally 
abundant in Camaroons, towards the coast, where specimens 
have been obtained by Drs. Reichenow and Liihder at the 
Camaroons River, by Dr. Oberholser and by Mr. Bates in the 
Efulen province. Du Chaillu collected specimens at Cape 
Lopez and along the Camma River, and Marche at Doumé 
in the Ogowé district; Lucan and Petit found it at Landana, 
Bohndorff at Manyango, and the type of the species came from 
Angola, where it has also been met with by Major Mechow. 
Dr. Butler, in his interesting work, “ Foreign Finches in 
Captivity,” writes: ‘It is one of the most frequently imported 
species, 1s very cheap and, unfortunately, like most of the 
African Astrilds, is nervous and delicate. For those who 
