92 Captain R. Meiuertzliagen on 



20. "^ ESTRILDA ASTRILDA. 



Esfrilda astrilda Sharpe^ Cat. Bircls^ xiii. p. 391. 

 IJengali du Pays. 



Introduced at some period from South Africa^ aud now 

 well distributed in tlie island. 

 Plentiful in Flat Island. 



21. ■^ HyPHANTORNIS CAPENSIS. 



Subsp. a. Sitagra caffra Sharpe, Cat. Birds, xiii. p. 431. 



Slug;-Slug, 



Introduced from Natal in 1892 by Monsieur Meyer. It 

 is now common near Flacq, but does not seem to spread 

 beyond that locality. 



In December 1910 I saw a few pairs building in palm- 

 trees about five miles south of Flacq. 



22. * FouniA MADAGASCARIENSIS. 



Foudia madagascariensis Sharpe, Cat. Birds, xiii. p. 433. 



Le Cardinal, 



This brilliant bird inhabits Madagascar, Reunion, 

 ]\Iauritius, and the Seychelles. To the last place it appears 

 to have been introduced and its claim to indigenous rank in 

 Mauritius is not quite established. 



Leguat [' Le Voyage et les Avantures deFranjois Leguat,' 

 Amsterdam, 1750, vol. ii. p. 72), a very observant man, 

 does not mention it, though he saw Nesacanthis rubra. 

 "Petits oiseaux qui sont assez faits comme nos moineaux 

 cxceptc qu'ils ont la gorge rouge.'' 



Grant also, in his ' History of Mauritius,' writes in 1801 : 

 " the cardinal whose head is bright red." This obviously 

 refers to Nesacanthis rubra. 



Monsieur Emmerez de Cliarmoy tells me definitely that 

 the bird was introduced from Madagascar. 



At present, in Mauritius, it is fairly well distributed. 

 The brilliant red of the male bird, which glows like a ball of 

 fire, is a very striking sight. From October to February 

 it appears to be at its best. The cock, in the breeding- 

 season, is very fond of sitting on some prominent twig aud 



