Barbei'fon District, Transvaal. 173 



58. Vidua principalis, L. & S., B. S. Afr. p. 453. 

 Common, and locally known as the Kaffir Fink. One male 



in nuptial dress was shot on 25th November. The birds 

 congregate in large flocks after breeding, when the males 

 lose their long tail-feathers and assume their duller garb. 



59. Chera progne, L. & S., B. S. Afr. p. 458. 



This species is common on the flats round Barberton. To 

 the natives it is the " Sakubula,'^ and the large black tail- 

 feathers are used in bunches by the Swazi '' Regiment of 

 Imfaans'^ (or young men) to adorn their head-dresses and 

 shields, with great efiFect. The natives run the birds down on 

 wet days, when the moisture prevents them from rising after 

 a flight or two, and they are killed with sticks and knob- 

 kerries. 



60. Pyromel^na MINOR (Reichenb.); Sharpe, Cat. B. xiii. 

 p. 238. 



The only one I got was on 4th August. 



61. Estrilda dufresnii, L. & S., B. S. Afr. p. 469. 

 One obtained on 30th April had its crop full of grass- 

 seeds. 



62. Estrilda astrild, L. & S., B. S. Afr. p. 470. 



Two birds were shot on 6th June out of a flock of about 

 thirty. 



63. Lagonosticta brunneiceps, L. & S., B. S. Afr. p. 476. 

 One specimen on 28th March. 



64. Crithagra rendalli, Tristram, Ibis, 1895, p. 130 and 

 p. 379. 



Examples of this species were shot on 17th February, 1894. 



The males and females were together in a large flock, but 

 were obtained with some difficulty, since I happened that 

 day to be riding a particularly gun-shy horse, which reared 

 and backed when I flred, and almost refused to let me re- 

 mount with the gun in my baud. This proved all the more 

 troublesome as the birds were wild and had to be repeatedly 

 followed over the open flats before I could obtain both 

 sexes. 



