PLOCEID^ ESTRILDA 105 



A nest taken in June, in the Northern Transvaal, was built 

 about four feet off the ground in a thorny bush. It is round in 

 shape, with a side entrance, and is loosely constructed of dry grass 

 lined with a few feathers. The eggs, three in number, are pure 

 white and measure O72 x 0'50. It is somewhat curious that this 

 delicate-looking little bird should breed in mid-winter, when the 

 nights are decidedly cold, but I have frequently noticed the seeming 

 indifference of many of the South African small birds including 

 some of the Sunbirds to temperature. Many breed in mid-winter, 

 even on the bleak mountains of Western Cape Colony. Not un- 

 frequently the same species will nest again in the height of 

 summer. 



The Grenadine or Violet-eared Waxbill is occasionally imported 

 into Europe as a cage-bird. It is said to have a gentle yet lively 

 disposition and a lovely song. Dr. Euss writes: " The first living 

 bird of this species which was brought to Europe must have been 

 that received in Paris in 1754 by the Marquise de Pompadour. 

 She was known to be an enthusiastic friend of foreign birds, and 

 kept this Astrild alive for three years." 



57. Estrilda subflava. Orange-breasted Waxbill. 



Fringilla subflava, VieilL N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xxx, p. 575 (1819). 

 Amadina sanguinolenta, Gray, Genera B. ii, pi. 90, figs. 2, 3 (1849). 

 Estrelda subflava, Gray, Genera B. ii, p. 369 (1849) ; Layard, B. S. 



Afr. p. 200 (1867) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard 's B. S. Afr. pp. 469, 849 



(1884). 

 Sporseginthus subflavus, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 324 (1890) ; 



Butler, Foreign Finches, p. 114, pi. (1894). 

 Estrilda subflava, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 30 (1896). 

 " Zebra Waxbill " of dealers in Cage Birds. 



Description. Adult male. Above olive-brown ; wing-coverts 

 like the back ; rump and upper tail-coverts crimson ; quills brown ; 

 tail feathers dusky-brown, the outer slightly tipped with white ; 

 lores and eyebrow crimson ; sides of face, ear-coverts and cheeks 

 grey tinged with yellow ; below, orange-yellow streaked with 

 orange-red on the lower throat, barred with black and yellow on the 

 sides of breast, body and flanks ; chin bright red ; vent and under 

 tail-coverts strongly tinged with crimson ; axillaries and under 

 wing-coverts buffish ; edge of wing mottled brown and yellow. 



