166 BIRDS OF DAMABA LAND. 



small snake. In each of these separate holes are laid 

 three or four eggs, exactly resembling Sparrows' eggs, 

 but much larger. I obtained no less than forty of these 

 eggs (all much incubated), on January 29th, from two 

 low trees standing close together, at Amatoni, in lati- 

 tude 18° south; and on the following day the birds were 

 busy in repairing one of the collective nests, which had 

 been injured during the collection of the eggs which it 

 contained. I believe these nests are annually added to ; 

 for, so far as I have been able to see, the same nest is 

 retained for several consecutive seasons. 



This species is said by Dr. Smith to be a frequent 

 attendant on the buffalo, and to feed on the parasites 

 which infest the hide of that quadruped : I have never 

 observed this in Damara Land, which may be owing to 

 the buffalo being a scarce animal in that country. 



The irides in this species are brown. 



[Sir A. Smithes account of this bird attending on the South- 

 African buffalo is confirmed by Dr. Livingstone, vide 'Mission- 

 ary Travels/ p. 54.5. — Ed.J 



200. Plocepasser mahali, Smith. White-browed Weaver bird. 



Plvcepasser mahali, Smith's Zool. of S. Africa, pi. 65. 



,, ,, Strickland & Sclater, Birds Damar., Contr. Oni. 



1852, p. 150. 

 „ „ Layard's Cat. No. -372. 



,, ,, Chapman's Travels in S. Afr., App. p. 401. 



,. „ Sharpe's Oat. No. 578. 



Damara Land proper would seem to be the stronghold 

 of this species ; but 1 have also found it abundant at Lake 

 Ngami and in the neighbourhood of the Okavango, and it 



