PEND.ULINE TITS 131 



were like smaller editions of the Mouse-coloured Sunbird's 

 nest, but they were invariably hung from a low branch 

 near to a water-rill. The eggS number two, and are of a 

 whitish colour thickly marked with greyish-brown. 



The females of all the Sunbirds are much plainer and 

 duller coloured than their mates. 



PENDULINE TITS 



We next come to a family of birds, the Tits (Paridce), 

 which contains in the genus Mgitlialus two species of tiny 

 birds which may lay claim to being two of the neatest little 

 architects of the avian world. 



They will probably be more easily distiaguished from one 

 another from the following extract of a diagnosis of Dr. 

 Sharpe's in the Ibis for 1904 : — 



A. Breast darker and dull oohreous; upper surface 



dark ashy, dark olivaoeus on the rump and 



upper tail-ooverts ^. minutua. 



B. Breast Ught sulphur-yellow, sUghtly darker in old 



birds, light grey on head verging into light oUve- 

 greenish, becoming more sulphur-yellow on the 

 rump and upper tail-coverts ; M. smithii. 



The first is confined to the Cape Colony south of the 

 Orange Eiver, the second being the form inhabiting the 

 Transvaal, Mashonaland and Damaraland. 



These dainty little birds, called Kappoc-vogel (meaning 

 cotton-wool bird) by the Boers, build a neatly woven nest 

 of the downy seed of plants (in sheep districts wool is utilised) 

 felted together into distinct layers, until a strong, cloth-like 

 structure of a domed shape with an opening at the side is 

 completed. This is quite rainproof and exceedingly warm 

 and cosy. Below the actual opening there is generally a 

 blind opening in the shape of a shallow pouch, which the 

 natives assert is used by the male as a roosting place. When 



