HUNTING ON THE SIMBA KIVER 249 



one eye to spare for unknown feathered objects, and the 

 following notes may interest. 



One small species specially attracted attention by its 

 strangely vibrant flight, producing a rattling sound as 

 of some insect. This was a bush-lark (Mirafrajischeri), 

 and the curious vibrant rustle is a seasonal sign, pro- 

 duced by the rapid clapping of its short rounded 

 wings beneath the body as the bird shoots upwards 

 in spiral flight. The effect is remarkable enough even 

 in March, but during the breeding season (November) 

 this singular "drumming" is audible up to hundreds 

 of yards. 



A PAIR OF BisHOP-BiKDS {Pyromelana sunclevalli). 

 Gorgeous in orange-red, with velvety-black points and golden-brown mantle. 



Another small bird of brilliant canary-like yellow 

 also shoots up in air displaying gorgeous hues in the sun- 

 light, but without the accompanying vibration. This is 

 one of the infinite family of weaver-finches, iJ?/p/^an^orms 

 suhaurea by name. An even more brilliantly-coloured 

 weaver was also common along the river, a bird of bright 

 gamboge with orange head — Xanthophilus hojeri. 

 Most of the gaily-plumaged finches one sees prove to 

 be either weavers or their cousins, the bishop-birds ; yet, 

 in the reverse, many of this extensive family are quite 

 dull in colours — as, for example, the social weaver-finch, 

 commonest of them all. The massed nests of these latter, 

 hundreds under one roof, fill whole trees ; others, as 



