of the Lydenburg District. 195 



of the neck in the bird's strong beak, the foot still remaining 

 firm, and then swallowed. My two birds were very stupid : one 

 was killed by being squeezed to death by a pig ; and the other 

 had its leg broken by a waggon. Their note is very similar 

 to that of the young Stanley Crane. The eggs, which are tvio 

 in number, are of a dull white, dotted with light brown at 

 the obtuse ends. 



3. Circus pygargus. 



I received this bird from the district of Lydenburg. I have 

 never, to my knowledge, seen them in any quantity. 



4. Circus macrurus. 



This I also received from near Lydenburg, where they fre- 

 quent the swampy ground, and, I am informed, feed on small 

 quadrupeds, snakes, &c. 



5. Melierax gabar. 



Two specimens were sent to me from Marico ; and I have 

 seen the species near Potchefstroom. My man brought me 

 one from near Pretoria, which he said he had shot while it 

 was in the act of whistling. I shot two young birds off a 

 nest near the Modder river. On examining the nest I found 

 it to contain the limbs of a species of lizard, of a field-mouse, 

 and various bones of little animals which I could not de- 

 termine. 



6. Astur polyzonoides. 



I shot one of these on a bush near the Vaal, and another 

 between Potchefstroom and Rusteiiberg. I also received one 

 specimen from near Marico. 



7. BuTEO jackal. 



The well-known shrill note of this species is to be heard at 

 almost any time. It is a heavy-flying bird, but rather diffi- 

 cult to kill, being well feathered. I shot one near Bloemfon- 

 tein, on our farm, where, I was told, it had been for some 

 time. I have observed it near the Drakenberg mountains ; 

 and I received a specimen from Lydenburg. The latter is 

 smaller than the ordinary Buzzard of the Colony. 



