112 A NATURALIST IN THE TRANSVAAL. 



birds in the spots where they were previously so 

 abundant. In the Transvaal I found that almost all 

 birds fed on this rich banquet of the rainy season, and 

 I have even seen the crops of Kestrels (Cerchneis 

 tinnunculoides and amurensis) crammed with the 

 remains of these insects ; the Short-eared Owl (Asio 

 capensis] also feeds on large Coleoptera, the crop of 

 one specimen I procured containing nothing else. 

 As soon as the dry season recommences there is an 

 absolute dearth of insect-life on the veld, and birds 

 must then seek other areas in quest of food. The 

 most showy bird in the Spelonken was the Roller 

 (Coracias caudata), and the curious cry of the Grey 

 Plantain-eater (Schizorhis concolor] w T as generally to be 

 heard when one rambled among the trees ; whilst in 

 Francolins, Francolinits subtorquatus and F. yariepensis 

 replaced the Francolinus levaillantii which I had 

 recently found so plentiful in Pretoria. Here also I 

 observed and obtained the great Jackal Buzzard (Buteo 

 jaJcal], which I never met with in the Pretoria 

 district. 



The best entomological spot found in Zoutpansberg 

 was on the banks of the Dwaas River near the ford 

 which forms part of the high road ; on the damp 

 sandy banks hovered clusters of small yellow butter- 

 flies (Terms brigitta and T. zoe\ like constellations of 

 primrose-blooms, and in the same spots the dragonfly 

 (Trithemis sanguinolcnta) literally swarmed; besides 

 these species I procured, during a half-hour's stay, the 

 pretty Teracolus subfasciatus, besides several other 

 species of the same genus, and on the wing captured 

 different species of Bnprestidce and Longicorma. As 

 this was at the end of the summer, it should prove a 

 good locality at the right season for a travelling 

 collector. I could have pleasantly passed the day 011 

 these wooded and sandy banks, but the oxen w r ere once 

 more inspanned and my friend was anxious to resume 

 his journey home. Species of Teracolus abounded all 

 along the road, and I often walked behind the wagon 

 net in hand with the best results ; it was thus that I 



