THE CRIMSON-CROWNED WEAVER. 289 



abdomen, velvety black ; the wing and tail feathers black, edged with 

 white and pale bnff ; thighs, vent and under tail-coverts brownish 

 orange. Length 5-,", inches. Beak black, legs dull flesh-coloured ; 

 iris brown. 



The female above, and on the cheeks, ruddy brown, streaked and 

 spotted with black ; wing and tail-feathers dark brown, narrowly edged 

 with pale reddish-brown ; a broad yellowish eyebrow-streak ; chin, 

 throat, abdomen and under tail-coverts almost pure white ; breast 

 diffused yellowish-brown, with narrow longitudinal black streaks ; 

 Length 4! inches. Beak pale dull flesh-coloured, legs pinkish; iris 

 pale brown. 



The winter plumage of the male nearly resembles the normal 

 coloration of the female. The breeding-plumage is assumed by a 

 gradual and complete moult. Young birds are like the female, but 

 paler. 



Yon Heuglin seems to be the first Naturalist who recorded the 

 nesting-habits of this lovely Weaver ; he says : " I found this mag- 

 nificent Fire Finch breeding in almost solitary couples in August and 

 September, in the high grass and thickets, in the territory of the 

 Djur and the Kosanga rivers. The nests are built like those of E. 

 fontcolor, and contain three verdigris-green eggs, 8j mill, in length, 

 which are usually sprinkled at the blunt end with extremely small 

 violet-black spots. They disappear from the above-mentioned regions, 

 when the breeding-season is over. This species seems to be found in 

 Abyssinia also, only during the rainy season, in the neighbourhood of 

 Adwa, and in the lowlands of the Takazze." 



Mr. Lewis Fraser describes it as : " Common about Cape Coast, 

 West Africa, frequenting the Indian-corn plantations." 



Dr. Gordon speaks of them as: "Very familiar, and hop from 

 branch to branch, within a few yards of the person who visits their 

 retreats." 



Mr. Monteiro says that on the Quanza it was ' very common ; 

 "keeping always among the high grass." 



Captain Speke, remarking upon it in Central Bast Africa says : 

 " Flies about in large flocks, feeding in corn-fields, and roosting at 

 night in the rushes in the swamps." 



Dr. B. Bohn observes : " Common on the coast of Zanzibar, and 

 near Kakoma, not, however, in particularly large numbers. They 

 prefer to live in patches of very tall grass, on fallow ground or (not 

 only at night) on marshes. Killed here in its transition plumage in 

 the first half of February. I found and received nests, of three to 



