208 Mr. F. A. Barratt's Notes on the Birds 



83. ESTRKLDA ASTRILD. 



I recognized this little bird nearly all over the country. 

 Orange Free State, Diamond-fields, Potehefstroom, Pretoria, 

 Lydenburg Gold-fields ; and I have seen it in the Kaffir 

 gardens a few miles further north. I also met with it at 

 Rustenberg. They congregate in large flocks, and are said 

 by the Boers and farmers to do considerable damage to the 

 grain cixjps. 



84. Mackonyx croceus. 



This bird is often killed by waggon-drivei-s with the whip ; 

 and I have frequently done so myself when I wanted a spe- 

 cimen. I have seen it from Bloemfontein up to Pretoria and 

 Nazareth, and on my trip to Rustenberg. I have never ob- 

 served them elsewhere than in the grass. 



85. COLUMBA GUINEA. 



Common in the Transvaal. They fly about in vast flocks 

 among the crops and on newly ploughed land. I have shot 

 several near Potehefstroom and Pretoria. 



86. TURTUR SEMITORQUATUS. 



Have shot this species on Vaal river near Rustenberg. I 

 received it from Marico, and have seen it in many places 

 throughout the Transvaal and Free State. 



87. Peristera laryata. 



Received this bird from Macamac Gold-fields, where it is 

 not very uncommon. 



88. COTURNIX dactylisonans. 



Have shot this Quail in the Chalumna district, British 

 Kafiraria, where it arrived in great numbers about the end of 

 August. In the Transvaal it is widely distributed. I have 

 shot it near Pretoria, Rustenberg, Nazareth, and many other 

 places. I received my last from Marico district. 



89. Francolinus aeer. 



Have shot this species in the district of Potehefstroom. 

 I obtained all my specimens in stony elevations and on the 

 sides of mountains, where they are found in considerable 

 quantity early in the morning. 



