73 
Expedition to the Zambesi River. 
the approach of danger. Besides ground-insects, their food 
consists to a great extent of fresh buds of various trees, 
especially those of the acacia, upon the topmost branches 
of which they may be observed busily and silently feeding 
off the young shoots. 
Breeding commences towards the middle of November. 
On our return down the river, after leaving Chicowa, we 
discovered a nest on January 27th, and, while breakfasting 
near the spot, we had ample time to identify the birds. The 
nest was placed on one of the spreading branches of a thorny 
bush. It was very fragile and small for the size of the bird : 
it was constructed of dried bents, with somewhat finer bents 
for a lining. It contained two eggs (probably the second 
lay), which were much incubated. 
Description of the Eggs :—Ground-colour dirty white, 
spotted, blotched, and clouded with olive-brown, with under¬ 
lying markings of a greenish brown and more thickly round 
the larger end. Average measurements •97 inch by # 65. 
77. Phyllostrophus strepitans (Reichen.). 
Not found on the lower reaches of the river. We first 
met with the bird about 50 miles below Zumbo, where it 
was rather plentiful in the thick undergrowth of the woods 
near the river. We generally observed it in parties, but in 
pairs towards the end of December, when the specimens 
obtained had the sexual organs in breeding condition. 
At that time these birds threw off: their usual skulking 
habits, and became bold and very noisy, answering one 
another from different parts of the wood with their harsh 
<( churr, churr ” notes, uttered several times in succession, 
and which, on one's approach, would assume a scolding 
expression. 
78. Eremomela HELENORiE, sp. nov. 
Eremomela helenorce Alexander, Bull. B. O. C. viii. p. xlviii. 
Most nearly allied to E. polioxantha, but smaller in size, 
and differing in the following particulars : the feathers of the 
rump are olive-yellow, and not ashy-grey washed with olive ; 
secondaries tipped with white; axillaries ashy white, not 
