from the Colony of Natal. 35 1 



by that gentleman, are both entirely black, and show no signs 

 of the yellow shoulder-spots described by Dr. Hartlaub, which 

 leads me to think that the South-African bird must be specifi- 

 cally distinct from that which is found in Senegambia, to which 

 Dr. Hartlaub^s description relates, and to which the specific 

 name of xanthornoides of Lesson ought probably to be restricted. 

 I am confirmed in this view by Le Vaillant^s account of 

 the South-African species, in which he makes no allusion to a 

 yellow shoulder-spot, but says, " Elle a le plumage absolument 

 noir, mais d'un noir tres-lustre * * * la femelle est plus petite 

 que le male, et son noir est moins lustre.^' — J. H. G.] 



230. DiCRURUS LUDWiGi, Smith. Ludwig's Drongo. 

 Male. Iris dark scarlet ; bill black. This species appears to 



frequent more dense bush than is the case with Dicrurus musicus, 

 and is never seen (like its congener) to frequent the grass-fires. 

 It is a less plentiful species than D. musicus, and its notes are 

 neither so harsh nor so loud. 



[It may be proper to remark that the male specimen figured 

 in Sir A. Smith's 'Zoology of South Africa' is there described as 

 having the " bill, legs, and claws reddish black, eyes deep 

 brown."— J. H. G.] 



231. Laniarius boulboul (Lath.). Boulboul- Shrike. 

 These birds are almost invariably seen in pairs ; they frequent 



the dense bush, and are, I believe, equally distributed throughout 

 the colony. Their notes are loud and curious : the male calls first, 

 and is so immediately answered by the female that any one not 

 acquainted with the fact would suppose all the notes to be uttered 

 by the same bird. This Shrike builds a coarse, open nest in a 

 low bush or tree. 



[A similar but somewhat more detailed account of the singular 

 call-notes of this species is given by Le Vaillant (vol. ii. p. 76). — 

 J.H.G.] 



232. Telephonus bacbakiri, Vieill. Bacbakiri Shrike. 

 Male. Iris dusky ; bill black ; tarsi and feet dusky ash ; 



gullet, gape, and tongue black. 



These birds are common amongst the hedges on the outskirts 

 of the town of Pietei'-Maritzburg ; in fact, I have seen them 



