COCCOPYGIA DUFRESNEI 235 
is also found near Grahamstown.” It has not been recorded 
from German South-west Africa, but as Stark writes: ‘‘ In 
Natal this pretty little species is, when not breeding, usually 
met with in small parties of ten or twelve, feeding on the 
ground on grass-seeds. When searching for food they keep 
close together, and constantly utter a sharp, chirping call- 
note. If disturbed they rise simultaneously with a prolonged 
‘chirrup’ and fly for a short distance, to settle again on the 
ground. This Waxbill breeds in Natal not uncommonly, but 
not, so far as I have observed, near the coast. Not far from 
Howick, at a height of about 3,000 feet, I have met with their 
nests in some numbers. Unlike many of the Waxbills, they 
build in tall bushes and young trees, at a height of from six 
to ten feet. The nests are rough-looking, oval structures, 
with an entrance hole on one side, constructed of fine dry 
grass; the flowering ends of the grass being woven together, 
the stiff stalks are left projecting in all directions. The 
interior is lined with grass-tops, down and feathers. The 
eges are very small, pure white in colour, and four to five in 
number. When first hatched the young are fed on small 
caterpillars.”’ 
in the British Museum there are six specimens procured 
by Andersson at the Knysna in the first four months of the 
year, so I should not be justified in calling it an autumn 
migrant in Cape Colony as Stark does; there are others from 
Grahamstown, Durban, Pinetown, Botha’s Hill, Maritzburg, 
Rustenburg, and Lydenburg. In the Rustenburg district of 
the Transvaal Mr. Ayres shot a male with the black throat 
and ear-coverts on June 12, and met with one or two small 
flights in which most were in poor plumage. Dr. Rendall 
obtained one in the Barberton district at the end of April. 
With the exception of Serpo Pinto’s specimen from the Zambesi, 
the species is not known to me from north of the Limpopo. 
