THE RIBBON FINCH. 187 



berg. Mr. Ortlepp writes that in the latter neighbourhood it is rare, 

 and at Priel it was common in large flocks ; he found a ' colony in a 

 large ' wait-a-bit ' thorn ; a cart-load of grass stuck in a fork with two 

 or three dozen apertures bored in below.' Mr. T. C. Atmore also 

 forwarded us specimens from Griqua Land. Mr. Ayres has procured 

 it in the Transvaal, and Dr. Eaton has forwarded us a specimen from 

 the neighbourhood of Bloemfontein. The late Mr. Gates shot a 

 specimen at Fati ; and Captain Shelley has in his collection a series 

 obtained by Dr. Bradshaw in the Makalaka country. ' This pretty 

 bird ' writes Mr. Andersson, ' occurs in Great Namaqua Land, and at 

 Lake N'Gami, also in Damara Land, where, however, it is far from 

 common, except in places, being, in fact, quite a local species. I 

 fouml it congregated in large flocks on the Oniaruru River at the end 

 of October.; and it was pretty numerous at Otjimbinque, where it 

 nested under the eaves of my house, and in the adjacent trees, in 

 company with the South Africaia Sparrow (Passer arcuatusj which it 

 exactly resembles in its manners and habits ; and I have found the 

 nests of these two species on the same tree, and even on the same 

 bough, as well as side by side xinder my eaves. The present species 

 forms its nest of small sticks, slender roots, &c., and lines it with 

 wool, feathers, or soft and warm material. The young are fledged in 

 June and July. It seeks its food upon the ground, usually in small 

 flocks, and when disturbed, takes refuge in the nearest tree or hedge ; 

 it occasionally utters a kind of chirping twitter.' It has been found 

 by Senor Anchieta, in Benguela." 



Mr. Abrahams informs me that he has seen a mule between the 

 Ribbon Finch and the Java Sparrow : as both species are prolific, there 

 should be no difficulty in obtaining this hybrid a second time, but I 

 tried, for over two years, and got numbers of eggs without result : I 

 think the cross must have been with the Red-headed Finch. 



Illustrations from examples living in the author's collection. 



