ON SPITTING SNAKES 
77 
fashion. They are very silent birds, and thus are easily 
overlooked. 
Breeding birds have been obtained during June and 
September. 
Unlike most weavers, these birds nest in single pairs, choosing 
some very high leafy tree on which to build. 
The nest is extremely untidy, being composed of rootlets 
loosely woven together and lined with grass fibres. It is 
usually situated at the extremity of a slender branch, and is 
overhung by the surrounding foliage, and thus is difficult to 
detect. 
The eggs vary in shape from long oval to oval or almost 
round, of a white colour, somewhat translucent, so that the yolk 
imparts a pinkish tinge ; length J inch. 
The accompanying plate depicts an adult male and female 
in breeding plumage. (See coloured frontispiece.) 
ON SPITTING SNAKES 
By Sir F. J. Jackson 
In reference to Mr. Hobley’s article on Spitting Snakes in the 
Journal, Vol. I, No. 2, p.98, 1 am sending in the head and neck of 
a snake, which I believe to be a ‘ mamba,’ as opposed to a cobra. 
It was shot in Buddu whilst crossing the road in front of me. 
It was exactly 7 feet long, and in colour was dark green. As 
it was only disabled by the shot, which struck it about 18 inches 
from the head, it was given every opportunity of extending 
its hood, if it had one, before being finally despatched with a 
stick, but it showed no signs of being able to do so. A dull 
black cobra shot some years ago near Ngong, and under similar 
circumstances, extended its hood several times. 
Regarding a green cobra : — 
During a tour down the Nile last year, and when between 
Nimule and Gondokoro, I had occasion to pass through some 
low thick scrub about 8 feet high under a large shady tree, 
when my gunbearer, who was a few paces behind, called my 
attention to the head and neck of a bright green snake, which 
I had disturbed and passed unnoticed — I was stalking two 
