216 C. S. Webb—Notes on a Collecting Trip to N.E. Tanganyika


one of the slowest and most laborious tasks I have ever under¬

taken. Another shy but interesting inhabitant of the undergrowth

is the Red-eyed Crimson-wing (Cryptospiza reichenowi sanguino-

lenta), a few of which I was able to capture in nets. Perhaps

the most elusive of all the Waxbills is Hartlaub’s Spotted Waxbill

(Mandingoa nitidula chubbi), which is green above and black

below, spotted with white, and the male having a red face. These

birds are smaller than Peter’s Spotted Waxbills and are very shy

and rare. They appear to be nomadic and have no partiality for

any one spot, and seem to simply wander where the spirit moves

them. Although widely distributed very few people have ever seen

one, and this was the first occasion on which I had met with this

species, and then only one pair, which I was fortunate enough to

capture. One of the most charming of all the forest birds is the

Forest Weaver (Ploceus bicolor kirsteni) which can be heard at

most times uttering its sweetly pretty call notes. This striking

looking species is entirely insectivorous and arboreal and spends

most of its time hunting for insects in a clinging position like

the English tits. It is not gregarious and it differs entirely in

most of its habits from the ordinary weavers. When breeding

they successfully avoid their natural enemies by attaching their

nest to an isolated liana which cannot be reached from any side.


Red-capped Robin-Chats (Cossypha natalensis) are fairly

numerous throughout the forest and Heuglin’s Robin-Chats

(Cossypha heuglini) are to be met with sparingly in more open

situations. These latter have a beautiful song, and are altogether

very charming birds. One pair which I eventually caught used

to visit regularly a patch which I had baited with millet seed for

Peter’s Spotted Waxbills, thus confirming what I had noticed on

previous expeditions that Robin-Chats like to supplement their

usual insectivorous diet with a few seeds. The beautiful White

starred Bush-Robin is found at higher altitudes and only occurs

in the W. Usambaras, where the vegetation is more stunted in

growth. The climate at this altitude (6,000 feet) is delightful and

bracing, a great contrast to the hot and humid atmosphere of

the E. Usambaras, where I did most of my collecting. In the



