284 Mr. T. Ay res on Trans- Vaal Ornithology. 



The following observations relate to species already recorded 

 as occurring in Trans- Vaal : — 



108. Hyphantornis mariquensis (Smith) . Mariqua Wea- 

 ver bird. 



In the beginning of August 1871 I noticed that a pair of 

 these birds had commenced building, hanging their nest on 

 the pendulous twigs of a weeping- willow right over one of the 

 secluded back streets of the town of Potchefstroom, at a height 

 of perhaps twenty feet from the ground, the tree being large 

 and one of a row. At this period the cock bird had not as- 

 sumed the yellow plumage, or the slightest symptom of it 

 that I could see, but was in appearance similar to the female. 

 The building of the nest proceeded very slowly, and by the 

 beginning of September it was not more than one fourth com- 

 pleted, the pair of birds still remaining in the same plumage ; 

 but at this stage the nest was pulled down by some boys, and 

 of course the birds left the place. 



At the same date (the beginning of September) I explored 

 the reeds at the river and found many nests of this species 

 in various early stages, and saw several cock birds in full yel- 

 low plumage. 



About the middle of September I again went to the river 

 and found a good many nests among the reeds, but none fin- 

 ished or containing eggs ; the nests are almost always hung 

 between two reeds, sometimes where the water is knee-deep, 

 at others where it is waist-deep, and sometimes where they 

 can be only reached by swimming ; for the river, though nar- 

 row, is very deep, and the reeds either shoot up from the 

 bottom, or form a sort of overhanging bank not easy of ap- 

 proach. 



On 20th October I again visited the spot, but of the nests 

 which I then examined I only found one containing eggs ; I 

 saw several cock birds in full plumage, and it is noticeable 

 that the cock birds are more often to be seen at the nests than 

 the hens. 



On 1st November I obtained three nests, with eggs, from the 

 same locality, but could not get the birds belonging to them j 



