590 



Mr, G. L. Bates on the 



deep greenisli-ljlue, the few scattered rounded black spots or 

 dots being entirely absent {cf. ^bis/ 1909, p. 50j.— W. R. 

 O.-G.] 



Spermestes cucullata. [Aseleke.] 



Sharpe, Ibis, 1908, p. 345 ; Bates, Ibis, 1909, p. 50. 



A pair of this Aseleke began to build, in the month of 

 August, inside an old nest of Ploceus cucuUatas, in a palm- 

 tree standing within a few feet of my house, after I had 

 exterminated or driven away the birds of the latter species 

 from the tree. The little fellows flew backwards and for- 

 wards very rapidly between the old nest and a patch of big 

 grass, bringing each time a bit of grass-top and entering 

 the nest with it. But, unfortunately, they discovered me 

 watching them, and abandoned that nesting-place. 



Spermestes POENsis. [Aseleke.] (Text-fig. 16, B, p. 590.) 

 Sharpe, Ibis, 1902, p. 96 ; 1908, p. 344 ; Bates, Ibis, 

 1909, p. 51. 



Young birds of this species differ greatly in plumage 



Text-ti'^ 16. 



A. Mouth of young Spermospiza f/uftafa (from a sketcli by the autlior), 

 see p. 587. B. Mouth of uestliiig Spermestes poensis, see p. 590. 



from adults, being brownisli-black above, smoky-brown 

 beneath, and lighter brownish-buff in the middle of the 

 breast and abdomen. Some specimens have some of the 



