C. S. Webb—A Collector in French Cameroon



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have been in captivity for a long time, when they may gradually get

accustomed to a dry diet.


Another beautiful bird of similar build with a very thick bill is the

Crimson Seed-cracker [Pirenestes ostrinus). It was exceedingly rare at

Eseka and I only managed to get one pair. This striking bird has the

head and neck glossy crimson, shining like satin, the upper breast,

flanks, and tail are also crimson, contrasting with the velvety black back

and under parts. It is quite hardy in captivity, and thrives well on large

millet and canary seed. I was disappointed at not being able to get

more specimens, but in spite of setting nets in all the likely looking

haunts, i.e. thick, rank vegetation in swampy places, I met with no

more success. While on the subject of Estrildine birds, the well-known

Orange-cheeked Waxbills ( Estrilda melpoda) were frequently met with,

but were not so plentiful as the Black-capped Waxbills. All the Wax-

bills look much more beautiful in their wild state when feeding in flocks,

and this applies especially to Orange-cheeked Waxbills.


Bronze-wing Mannikins ( Spermestes cucullatus) were common in the

more open situations. Weaver birds appear to be the commonest of all

birds in the palm-nut growing districts of French Cameroon. The native

villages are alive with them, especially Yieillot’s Black Weaver ( Ploceus

nigerrimus ), which is very numerous and breeds in colonies in trees

usually situated right among the native huts. They seem to spend all

their lives building nests and there is a ceaseless procession of these

birds to the palm-trees, where they strip ofl long thin pieces of fibrous

leaves and fly with these trailing through the air. Their nesting sites

are always scenes of great activity, with a tremendous noise going on

all the time.


The Y-marked Weavers [Ploceus cucullatus ), the males of which are

mainly yellow with black heads, have also a preference for nesting in

native villages, and like the foregoing species seem to spend most of their

time juggling with nesting material. There are many other Weavers

in the French Cameroon belonging to the genus Ploceus , but most of

them are more retiring than the two species mentioned and consequently

far less conspicuous.


Of greater interest to me were the Weavers of the genus Malimbus.

All these have black in their plumage, usually in conjunction with red,



