Birds of Southern Cameroon . 
591 
glossy black and spotted feathers of the adult plumage 
appearing among the brown ones, proving them to belong 
to this species and not to S, cucullata. 
Three young nestlings that were brought to me with 
their nest, in November, had peculiar mouth-markings. 
These consisted of a white ridge on the palate, shaped like 
an inverted letter 11, bordered on either side by a black 
line; some similar marks under the tongue; a black band 
across the base of the tongue; and a white swollen gape- 
margin. The accompanying figure (16 B) was drawn from 
one of these young nestlings, which was preserved in spirit. 
In order to shew the inside of the mouth, both above and 
below, the artist had to represent the mouth as opened to 
an extent impossible in reality ; the mouths of these thick¬ 
billed Weaver-birds cannot be opened wide. 
IIypargos schlegeli. (Text-fig. 17, A, p. 594.) 
Reichenow, V. A. iii. p. 159. 
Pytelia schlegeli Sharpe, Ibis, 1908, p. 346. 
Young birds of both sexes have the under parts uniform 
grey washed with oliye, and gradually acquire the spotted 
adult plumage, different specimens shewing various propor¬ 
tions of uniform and spotted feathers, just as in the case of 
Spermospiza guttata mentioned above. 
Adult females have spotted under parts just like the 
males, though the colouring of the heads is different in 
the two sexes. 
An immature specimen (No. 4057) had the mouth- 
markings of the nestling still very distinct. These are 
shewn in text-figure 17 A, which was drawn from my sketch 
and description, made when the specimen was freshly killed. 
Nigrita brunnescens. 
Reich. V. A. iii. p. 167. 
Nigrita bicolor Sharpe, Ibis, 1908, p. 345. 
Remale specimens are of a lighter colour than males. 
Immature birds are still lighter than adult females; one 
specimen, No. 3738, $ imm., has a pale plumage in which 
some new feathers of the deep, rich colour of the adult are 
