Mr. T. Ayres on the Ornithology of Transvaal. 231 



Spizocorys conirostris (Sund.). Pink-billed Lark. 



During the month of August 1881 these Larks Avere much 

 more plentiful than usual ; on the open flats near Potchef- 

 stroom one put them up at almost every step. 



368. MiRAFRA NIGRICANS (Suud.). Walilbcrg^s Lark. 



Male^ shot lOtli January, 1882. Iris hazel ; bill dusky, 

 but pale at the base of the under mandible ; tarsi and feet 

 yellowish white. Total length 8 inches, wing 4f, tail 3, 

 tarsus If. Stomach contained locusts. 



This, to me, exceedingly scarce bird was shot amongst the 

 hills to the north of Hustenburg, within six miles of the 

 Crocodile river ; it was a solitary bird, running on some flat 

 rocks with much sheltering scrub about, and very Fipit-like 

 in its appearance and manners. 



[The specimen sent, which has been added to the collec- 

 tion of the British Museum, is probably a younger male than 

 that described and figured by Du Bocage in his ' Ornithologie 

 d^ Angola,^ p. 376, pi. 8. fig. 1. When killed it was moulting, 

 but the moult was nearly completed, though the 2)i'iniaries 

 and some of the rectrices had not been renewed; all the new 

 feathers of the upper surface are blackish brown, but are 

 edged with rufescent fulvous, except the secondaries, which 

 are tipped with white ; the older feathers are paler than the 

 new and are evidently faded ; the under surface agrees with 

 the description and figure above referred to, except that all 

 the white portions of the plumage are tinged with fulvous. — 

 J. H. G.] 



Anthus brachyurus, Sund. Short-taihd Pipit. 



The specimens sent were shot in the Rustenburg district. 

 These Pipits seem to be veiy locally distributed on the sloping 

 sides of mountains and the neighbouring valley*, where bush 

 and trees are pretty thickly scattered ; they are frequently to 

 be found close to some scrubby bush, and on being ap- 

 proached they often quietly move round out of sight, or squat 

 close, and then rise almost under one^s feet if the cover is 

 at all good. Though generally alighting on the ground, they 

 occasionally settle on a bush or tree ; they have a quicker 



