58 Mr. W. Ayres on Birds collected in the 



Male and female^ shot at Lehtaba river-drift, 20th August, 

 1885, 



I found a pair of these birds in the bush which skirts the 

 Lehtaba river, and was fortunate enough to get both of 

 them ; a few days previously a bird of this species had been 

 observed several times by a Kaffir picking at some strips of 

 meat cut from a girafle and hung on the branches of a tree 

 to dry. I had not met with this Shrike since leaving Natal, 

 and there they are scarce; they are fond of searching for 

 their food amongst thick creepers. 



[These specimens appear to have been killed beyond the 

 Transvaal boundary, and I have therefore not included 

 them in the Transvaal list. — J. H. G.] 



Telephonus senegalus (Linn.). Senegal Tchagra-shrike. 



Female, shot at Rovi-rand, 14th June, 1885. 



I frequently met with this bird. It is generally found near 

 water, hunting on the ground for its food ; when disturbed it 

 flies up into a bush or tree ; its flight is heavy, and it never 

 goes far without settling. 



[In 'The Ibis^ for 1879, p. 399, the specific name of 

 erythropterus was by an error of mine applied to the present 

 species. — J. H. G.] 



398. BupHAGA ERYTHRORHYNCHA, Staul. Red-billed Ox- 

 pecker. 



Male, shot 1st May, 1885, at Olifants river (Transvaal). 



I met with but very few of these birds, which seem to be 

 disappearing as the large game becomes scarcer. The speci- 

 men sent was settled with two others on our cattle, making 

 their breakfast of ticks ; when disturbed they flew on to the 

 top branches of a high tree close by, whence I shot one of 

 them. 



Hyphanturgus ocuLARius (Smith). Smithes Weaver- 

 bird. 



Two males, shot at Rovi-rand, 10th and 14th June, 1885. 



Both these specimens were shot at the edge of the spruit 

 in Rovi-rand, a small stream close to the Lehtaba river ; one 



