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



to me to be refcral)le to tlie doubtfully distinct Oriental race 

 of T. cenchris, for which the late Mr. Swinhoe proposed the 

 subspecific appellation of T, pekinensis , and in which the 

 grey on the wing-coverts reaches to the carpal joint with but 

 very little admixture of rufous. The occurrence of these 

 specimens in South-eastern Africa is probably analogous to 

 that of Erijthropus amurensis, indicating a migration from 

 India to Africa; unless, indeed, some w^estern specimens assi- 

 milate in coloration to those of the east ; but I have seen 

 none such from either Europe or Western Asia, and none 

 from Africa, excepting the two now referred to. Of these, 

 one was shot about thirty miles from Potchefstroom on 27th 

 January, and a female, which may probably also belong to 

 the eastern race, Avas shot on the same day and at the same 

 place ; but I may mention that the females of the two races 

 are not distinguishable. Some normal males of T. cenchris 

 ■were al^o killed in the same locality within a h\Y days of 

 the same date ; and Mr. Ayres notes that they were there 

 ''in considerable numbers," possibly attracted by locusts, 

 on which one of the birds shot was found to have been 

 feeding. 



The other male of T. pekinensis was obtained at Potchef- 

 stroom in the month of June, wdiich, I believe, is an un- 

 usual time of year for the occurrence in South Africa of 

 T. pekinensis. 



The specimens sent by Mr. Ayres have been added to the 

 collection in the Norwich Museum. — J. H. G.] 



Caprim ULCUS EUROPTEUS, Linn. European Goatsucker. 

 Male, Rustenburg, IJth February, 1880. Stomach con- 

 tained large dung-beetles. 



Cypselus caffer, Licht. African White-rumped Swift. 



A pair of these Swifts took possession, as usual, of a 

 Swallow's nest under the eaves of my house; and the last lot 

 of young Swifts, two in number, were nearly ready to fly in 

 the beginning of March, by which time most birds of this 

 species had left this part of the country. 



