collected in Uganda and British East Africa. 409 



Ploceus (Hyphantornis) spekei. 



c? 1-2. 16. vi. 12; 15. v. 13. 

 ? 1-2. 16.vi. 13 ; e.vii. 12. 



Imm. 1. 



Speke's Weaver is a common species. These birds nest 

 in colonies, as a rule ; but I have found them nesting singly. 



The males are very noisy during the breeding-season and 

 love to sit on some conspicuous branch and display, at the 

 same time calling loudly. One cannot call the sounds 

 made a musical production, but still it is ever welcome. 

 The nest is a large structure, composed of grass and 

 lined with flowering grass-heads. The eggs are large and 

 of a bright blue colour, some have a few black spots. 

 Dozens of nests are built by the male, but only one is 

 occupied, thus there are always plenty of old nests in all 

 stages of completion. 



In the Kano district these birds were nesting along with 

 P. intermedins. 



Localities. Kano, Kisumu, and Nairobi, in British East 

 Africa. 



Ploceus (Sitagra) intermedius. 



$. 19.vi.l2. 



The Lesser Black-headed Weaver was found nesting in 

 June along with P. spekei, but unfortunately I had not got 

 the time to spare in order to discover this bird's nests from 

 amongst the others — they were all alike from a distance. 



Localities. Kano and Kisumu, in British East Africa. 



Ploceus (Sitagra) jacksoni. 



S 1-2. l.v. 12; 7.V. 12. 



? 1-L l.i. 14; 12.iii.l2; 23.ix.10. 



Jackson's Yellow-backed Weaver is quite a good species 

 and is quite distinct from F , fischeri, thovigh they inhabit 

 the same districts. 



We found it breeding in May at Buziranjuvo in the 

 papyrus-swamps. The nests resembled those of P. dimidi- 

 atus, the eggs were blue with purply-brown spots. Unfor- 



