BIRDS OF THE BUFFALO BASIX 215 



caped from confinement, is a moot point. The dassie 

 still exists in limited nnml)ers along a rocky ridge on the 

 townlands of Potchefstroom and at a few similar spots, 

 where rocky crevices afford secure retreats. 



I believe a species of mole occurs in some localities, but 

 I have not seen any specimens. 



I have not identified any other species of bat except 

 the ordinary small short-eared variety, which is 

 numerous and often seems to insert itself between ex- 

 tremely narrow spaces that may occur between the iron 

 sheets on a building, as if the housing problem in the 

 bat world was a serious one. 



Though I have seen quills and traces of the porcupine 

 about what were probably former haimts, I think it is 

 rare south of the bush veld further north. 



There may be a few other odd survivors or chance 

 wanderers of species that were once numerous still lurk- 

 ing about favoured haunts, but at present it is doubtful if 

 this branch of the fauna of the district can be estimated 

 at over two dozen species at present. 



Lu LIBRARY! 

 Birds of the Buffalo Basin, Cape Province. I^-^ ^"ib^^ ^^ 



By the Rev. Robert Godfrey^ M.A. X^f^ 



Cape White-eye — Zosterops anniiJosa (Sw.) — This 

 resident species is widely-distributed in the Buffalo 

 Basin, being specially common in the forest area, and 

 occurring usually in bands which move restlessly and 

 noisily onwards like tits, clinging as tits do in different 

 attitudes to the twigs as they pursue their hunt. These 

 little birds are specially noisy at dawn and just before 

 retiring to roost. Mr. Wood says that in the winter 



