132 REPORT OF THE HARVARD AFRICAN EXPEDITION 
of a tree near a large colony is stripped to the midrib of the leaflets, leaving the 
tree with a most ragged appearance. The birds secure the strips by biting 
a small slit at the edge of the leaflet and then, flying away, tear it down toward 
the end of the frond. In the large tree in which the above-mentioned colony 
nested there were two or three Kites present at frequent intervals and once 
or twice a small hawk was seen among the branches, but although these may 
prey regularly upon such a constant source of food, I did not happen to see 
them disturb the weavers, nor did the latter pay any attention to the hawks. 
Hyphanturgus aurantius (Vieillot). Golden Weaver 
Malimbus aurantius Vieillot, Ois. Chant., p. 73, pl. 44, 1805: Congo. 
Length 5.5 inches; head and under parts golden to orange yellow, the back golden, the rump 
clearer; a black line through the eye; wing and tail-feathers dark brown, gold-edged; bill black. 
Liberia to Congo. 
The Golden Weaver has been found at several localities along the coast 
as at Robertport by Biittikofer, and at Nana Kru and Subono by Lowe. 
It is apparently rare and local, for we did not meet with it. At Robertport 
Biittikofer says that the nests were found in small colonies of twelve to thirty 
in thickets along the seashore, not close together but rather scattered, and at 
four to eight feet from the ground. On his first visit in 1885, the birds had 
eges in November but in December a year later, on again visiting the locality 
none could be found, indicating the temporary nature of the colonies. 
Hyphanturgus ocularius brachypterus (Swainson). Swainson’s Spectacled Weaver 
Ploceus brachypterus Swainson, Birds West Africa, vol. 1, p. 168, pl. 10, 1837: no locality. 
Size of the Hooded Weaver; chin, upper throat, and a line from base of bill through eye, 
black; top and sides of head yellow washed with chestnut; back and wings olive green, tail darker 
olive; under side greenish yellow, iris white. Senegambia to Loango. 
We found a small colony of this white-eyed weaver at Kaka Town, but did 
not meet with it elsewhere. Apparently it is not common, and perhaps is less 
social than the Hooded Weaver. According to Thompson (1925) it nests in 
small bushes among grass in Sierra Leone, and we attributed to it a few nests 
in low thorn bushes at Moala although no birds were seen. In the former coun- 
try it seems to be commoner. Bittikofer found it at Robertport sparingly 
and records a female from Old Field, Mesurado River. Lowe procured it at 
Nana Kru. 
Melanopteryx nigerrimus (Vieillot). Black Weaver 
Ploceus nigerrimus Vieillot, Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., vol. 34, p. 180, 1819: Congo. 
Length 6.5 inches; plumage entirely black, iris golden, feet brown. 
The only records for Liberia are those of Biittikofer who mentions it from 
Jarjee, and also recounts the very interesting circumstance that at Schief- 
felinsville a colony of about twenty nests was found all hanging close together 
from the lowest branch of a huge silk-cotton tree near the station. In the 
crown of the tree was a large colony of Hooded Weavers that constantly at- 
