Birds around Mpumu, Uganda. 489 



nesting-time is the same, though I have not found the nests 

 of either species. 



27. Urobrachya phcenicea. Common, though local. It 

 seems to prefer swampy districts, and nests in April and 

 May. 



28. Pyrenestes ostrinus. Only seen once, on 5 April, 

 1912, nesting. The nest was very large and untidy-looking, 

 composed of coarse grass woven together, with loose ends 

 sticking out and hanging down, and was lined with fine grass. 

 It was placed on a bare branch overhanging a road and 

 difficult to get at, with the result that two out of three 

 white eggs (Plate X. fig. 8) were broken in securing them. 

 The male bird was at the time sitting, the female was not 

 seen. 



29. Nigrita schistacea. A common bird. It has two 

 nesting-seasons, one in May and June and one later iu 

 October. Its nest is a very large untidy structure, built 

 from ten to twenty feet from the ground and composed of 

 fibre surrounded by dead leaves and strips of banana-leaves, 

 the entrance being at the side. Four eggs form the clutch ; 

 these are pure white, but look pinkish when fresh, owing to 

 the yolk showing through. 



30. Nigrita fiisconota. This bird is common in the forests. 

 It breeds in August, but I have no notes of its breeding- 

 habits. A young bird in immature plumage obtained in 

 September was not unlike the adults, but the head was 

 dark brown and not blue-black, and the rump was jet-black 

 with no trace of the steel-blue. 



31. Spermestes cucullatus. Abundant everywhere. The 

 nest is either built in a bush in the usual oval shape, 

 composed of grass heads with a short tube as an entrance 

 at the side, or an old Weavers' nest, relincd with grass heads, 

 is made use of. The nesting-season is mainly confined to the 

 months of April, May, June, and July, although odd nests 

 may be found, I believe, during most of the year. Their 



