Birds in the Cradock and Tarl^astad Districts 177 



always well sheltered under stones. I made careful notes of 

 all the nests I found along this furrow and on looking over 

 these find, that 95% of the open, exposed nests were built in 

 those parts of the furrow that ran from north to south and were 

 placed on the bank facing the east. This was not the case 

 with the sheltered nests, these were found on either bank and 

 anywhere along the furrow. The placing of the exposed nests 

 where they faced the east was evidently done with the purpose 

 of protecting them from the fierce afternoon sun, which in the 

 narrow confines of the furrow would be felt very intensely. 



Near my house is a long narrow rand that runs almost due 

 north to south so that its two sides face east and west. This 

 rand is a favourite nesting place of F. impetuana and here again 

 I have found every nest on the side facing the east and have not 

 recorded a single nest taken on the other side although, if we 

 eliminate the heat of the sun, conditions are just as favourable 

 on one side as on the other. 



An interesting example of the way a bird will endeavour to 

 protect its young came under my observation last season. I was 

 searching a low rand for nests of Fringillaria capensis (L) when, 

 about three yards in front of me, up rose a Black-faced Lark, 

 P])rrhulauda australis (A. Sm.). I knew from the way it was 

 behaving that it had a nest near by. After a short search I 

 found it sheltered against a tuft of grass, but it was empty, and 

 yet by the behaviour of the bird it was quite evident that it had 

 chicks. Thinking that the chicks were old enough to leave the 

 nest but not strong enough to fly I searched for them, and to 

 my astonishment, when I did find them, found them to be two 

 helpless, naked little chicks. They were lying on the ground 

 about six feet from the nest and could only have got there by 

 the bird carrying them. She must have spotted me walking about 

 in the vicinity of the nest, and as I was there some time, had plenty 

 of time to remove the chicks before I came too near. 



In conclusion I would like to state that in submitting these 

 few meagre notes, I do so with the hope that something of interest 

 will be found in them. 



