BIRD LIFE 235 



Macro)} i/,r caprnsis — Cape Longclaic. Common in the 

 Game Reserve. Breeding season October to January. 



Pyrnoiiotus harhatiis lauardi — Black-cap J3ulhiil. Fairly 

 common in the bush in the Game Reserve, but not met 

 with in Basutoland. Breeding season October to Janu- 

 ary. 



Zosteiops vircns — Green White-eye. ^'ery common in 

 the Game Reserve, where I have found their nests; they 

 lay three blue eggs, the breeding season being from Octo- 

 ber to early January. 



Cinnyris chalyhaeus — Lesser Douhle-coUared Sunhird. 

 Fairly common in the Game Reserve, but not met with 

 in Basutoland. Eggs taken in October and November. 



Nectarinia famosa — Malachite Sunhird. One of the 

 commonest birds in the Drakensberg, and the song of the 

 male is a very familiar sound in the bushy kloofs, during 

 spring. I have examined man}' nests, and the number of 

 eggs laid is generally two. but I have twice found nests 

 containing three eggs. Breeding season from November 

 to February. 



Promerops gurneyi — Natal Long-tailed Sugar-Mrd. 

 This is another very common species in the mountains on 

 the Natal side, especially on the hills round Game Lodge 

 where sugar bush is plentiful. It is a very noisy, rest- 

 less bird, and its chattering is another very familiar 

 sound in the mountains during early spring, when the 

 sugar bush and sutherlandias are just bursting into 

 flower. I have often heard it calling at night and early 

 in the morning. Breeding season October to December. 

 The nest is cup-shaped, built of twigs and grass, and 

 lined with sugarbush seeds and fine grass; it is invari- 

 ably placed in a sugarbush tree, from one to two eggs 

 being laid, which are cream coloured, speckled and 

 scratched with dark bro\\Ti. I have not met with this 

 bird in Basutoland. 



Pariis afer — Grey Tit. Only one specimen obtained, 

 and that from the Sanqebetu Valley, Basutoland. I do 

 not know when it breeds. 



