The Birds of Gambia. 
39 
Texlor senegalensis. OXBIRD.* 
Range. Senegaiiibia. 
Common in the Gambia. A largish black Weaver with white edgings 
to the wings. 
Their nests are very striking; large masses of twigs occupied by 
several families, whose eggs are laid at the bottom of tunnels driven 
into the mass of twigs, etc. which form the nest. Whenever I have seen 
their nest they have been in large trees growing in certain villages, never 
outside in the bush. Sometimes in the upper part of a large cotton tree 
are found Marabout Stalks nesting, while lower down are the dwellings of 
the Oxbirds, the latter belonging to comparatively small birds being larger 
and stronger than those of the large storks above them. 
The hen is exactly like the cock, but the colour of the young is a 
rusty blown. 
Where they occur these birds are quite common, but their nesting 
sites are decidedly local, I only know about half a dozen places where their 
nests are to be seen. 
The two following species are found in Senegambia, but are not 
known to me. 
Ploceipasser siipercUiosus, a brown Bunting-like Weaver. 
Anapledes melanotis, a red-headed Weaver, dark brown above and 
whitish below. 
Hyphaiilurgus bmchytenis. 
Range. Senegambia to Gaboon. [Sh.) 
Specimens from the Gambia in the British Museum. Although I 
must have seen this species, I have never actually identified it here. 
Though there are at least six " Yellow Weavers " likely to be found in the 
Gambia, I actually only know three species. 
Sitagra Inteola. 
Range. Senegambia to N.E. and Equatorial Africa. [Sh.) 
Smaller than the other Yellow Weavers; the black of the face in the 
adult cock only covers the front half of the crown, the side of the face and 
upper throat. Bill rather more slender than that of Hypliaiitotnis. 
I am almost sure that it is this species which breeds in such numbers 
all up the banks of the river during the rains. The nests are made of 
coarse grass susp'ended in groups in bushes (generally thorns) over the water 
and only accessible by boat. 
In shape they are like a stumpy retort with a woven perch between 
the turned down entrance and the egg chamber; the latter is lined with a 
little fine grass and a few feathers. 
The eggs are white, rather long and oval in shape. 
• See under Editorial, page 54 of this issue. 
