Mr. T. Ayres on the Ornithology of Transvaal. 991 



This is the second specimen of M. nigricans which I have 

 met with. I found it amongst the scrubby bush on a rocky 

 range of hills^ some couple of miles from the banks of the 

 Mooi river and about twenty from the sources of that stream. 

 My attention was attracted to the bird by its large size, 

 dipping flight, and Pipit-like appearance. 



[This specimen, like the previous one obtained by Mr. 

 Ayres and recorded in ' The Ibis/ 1884, p. 231, appears to 

 be partly in immature plumage ; and in the present instance 

 the assumption of the adult dress seems to have made but 

 little progress. Both specimens were killed on 10th January, 

 the first in 1882, the second in 1885.— J. H. G.] 



Chrysococcyx cupreus (Bodd.). Didric Cuckoo. 



During our present summer months (1886) these Cuckoos 

 are particularly scarce, although in 1885 they were more 

 plentiful than had ever been known before. 



CoccYSTES GLANDARius (Linu.). Great Spotted Cuckoo. 



A male specimen was shot at Potchefstroom on 8tb Feb- 

 ruary, 1886, and brought tome in the flesh; but its possessor 

 did not wish to part with it. The stomach of this bird con- 

 tained a quantity of beetles, principally of a species of Cetonia, 

 of moderate size. 



This Cuckoo is one of our rarest visitants, though in the 

 Orange Free State my friend, Dr. Symonds of Kroonstad, 

 has killed several. 



Campethera bennetti (Smith). Bennett's Woodpecker. 



This specimen fell, when shot, from the top of a tree, with 

 a broken wing and at least ten yards from the stem, but 

 hopped very nimbly to the trunk, and before I could run up 

 was out of reach and climbing so rapidly that I was obliged 

 to fire again to secure it. These Woodpeckers are wonder- 

 fully quick climbers and are always scarce here. 



PcEOGEPHALus MEYERi (Riipp.). Mcyer's Parrot. 

 I found a few pairs of these Parrots along the banks of 

 the Limpopo during our winter months. 



