Birds of Southern Cameroon. 591 



glossy black and spotted feathers of the adult plumage 

 appearing among the brown ones, proving them to belong 

 to this species and not to S. cucuUata. 



Three young nestlings that were brought to me with 

 their nest, in November, had peculiar mouth-markings. 

 These consisted of a white ridge on the palate, shaped like 

 an inverted letter U, bordered on either side by a black 

 line; some similar marks under the tongue; a black band 

 across the base of the tongue; and a white swollen gape- 

 margin. The accompanying figure (16 B) was drawn from 

 one of these young nestlings, which was preserved in spirit. 

 In order to shew the inside of the mouth, both above and 

 below, the artist had to represent the mouth as opened to 

 an extent impossible in reality ; the mouths of these thick- 

 billed Weaver-birds cannot be opened wide. 



IIypargos schlegeli. (Text-fig. 17, A, p. 594.) 



Reichenow, V. A. iii. p. 159. 



l^ytelia sddegell Sharpe, Ibis, ]908, p. 346. 



Young birds of both sexes have the under parts uniform 

 grey washed with olive, and gradually acquire the spotted 

 adult plumage, diflferent specimens shewing various propor- 

 tions of uniform and spotted feathers, just as in the case of 

 ISpermospiza (juttata mentioned above. 



Adult females have spotted under parts just like the 

 males, though the colouring of the heads is different in 

 the two sexes. 



An immature specimen (No. 4057) had the mouth- 

 markings of the nestling still very distinct. These are 

 shewn in text-figure 17 A, which was drawn from my sketch 

 and description, made when the specimen was freshly killed. 



NiGRITA BRUNNESCENS. 



Reich. V. A. iii. p. 167. 



Nigrita bicolor Sharpe, Ibis, 1908, p. 345. 



Female specimens are of a lighter colour than males. 

 Immature birds are still lighter than adult females; one 

 specimen. No. 3738, c? inmi., has a pale plumage in which 

 some new feathers of the deep, rich colour of the adult are 



