240 Capt. G. E. Shelley on a Collection of 



By no means uncommon near our camp at Umvuli, one or 

 two might generally be heard every evening soon after dark 

 amongst the surrounding trees. 



22. Asio CAPENsis (Smith). 



Mashoona, December. Seen, but not procured. 



23. Strix flammea, Linn. 



(106) cT, Shongo river, 1st November. 



Pretty generally distributed over the country. We met 

 with a number at the Tatiu, occupying the crevices in the 

 sides of the workings of the gold-fields, which are now de- 

 serted; and I heard one near the Hart river. 



24. Caprimulgus mossambicus, Peters. 



(66) Umvuli river, 27th August, and Ganyani river, 18th 

 September. Male : iris umber-brown ; bill pale, with the 

 culmen and tip dusky ; tarsi and feet light dusky brown. 



They were not very common on the Um\aili on the 27th 

 of August, when we first met with them ; but towai'ds the 

 end of September we found them very abundant near the 

 Ganyani, where their incessant chirring note might be heard, 

 more or less, throughout the night. I never detected the 

 female in the act. The male perches himself crosswise on a 

 bough, while the female sits on the ground beneath, silently 

 rising every now and again to catch some passing insect. 

 The breeding commences in September. On the 19th of 

 October an egg was taken at the Bembesi river. They are 

 very quick on the Aving, and glide through the branches of 

 the trees with great dexterity. 



25. COSMETORNIS VEXILLARIUS (Gould). 



(74) Ganyani river, Umvuli river, Umgesi river, and Um- 

 nyati river, September and October. Mashoona name '' Ama- 

 damba," Matabele name "Manooella." Iris dark brown; 

 bill dingy and pale, becoming dusky towards the tip ; tarsi 

 and feet light dusky brown : the same in both sexes. 



We first met with this Goatsucker late in August in Mash- 

 oona laud. The first male was seen by our driver on the 30th 

 of August, and the first specimen shot, a female, on the 13th 



