Mr. T. Ayres on the Ornithology of Transvaal. 291 



[The diflference in size between the sexes in this species 

 appears to be more marked than in some of its congeners. — 

 J. H. G.] 



CisTicoLA cuRsiTANS (Frankl.) . European Fantail. 



Shot near Potchefstroom, 14;th July. 



At this season these birds are to be found frequenting 

 swampy ground — in fact, among the Snipes ; probably insects 

 are now scarce in their usual dry haunts in the higher open 

 country. 



Aedon pcena (Smith). Smithes Chat- Warbler, 

 Male, shot 19tli February, on the rocky ranges near Pot- 

 chefstroom. 



[This specimen is not fully adult, and is interesting as 

 exhibiting some remains of immature plumage about the back 

 of the head and neck, the lesser and median wing-coverts, and 

 the lower part of the back. On all these parts the feathers 

 belonging to the immature plumage are of a very pale fulvous 

 tint, edged (and on the wing-coverts also centred) with 

 blackish brown. — J. H. G.] 



292. Saxicola pileata (Gmel.) . Imitative Wheatear. 

 Male, shot 7th June, in open country near Potchefstroom. 



Stomach contained beetles and other insects. 



Some of these birds are much bothered with ticks, that 

 fasten themselves in numbers about the head and ears of the 

 bird, which seems quite unable to get rid of them. How the 

 bird can live with sometimes as many as twenty good-sized 

 ticks sucking blood from its head and ears is a wonder. 



293. Saxicola leucomel^ena, Burch. BurchelPs Wheat- 

 ear. 



Male and female. Female with a black head, its mate with 

 a grey head ; sexes ascertained by my brother, by whom the 

 pair were shot, near Potchefstroom, in the month of August. 



[So much uncertainty attaches to the variations of plumage 

 in this Wheatear that it may be desirable to add a description 

 of these specimens, and of two others that were sent Avith 

 them : — 



Male. Wing 4*6 inches, tail 2*5, culmen "6, tarsus 1*2. 



x2 



