Birds from South-eastern Africa. 249 



53. Trachyphonus cafer (VieilL). 



(149) (^ , Boatlaiiami Pan, 30tli December. Iris dark lake ; 

 bill pale greeu, with a dusky tip ; tarsi and feet dusky ash. 



We neither saw nor heard any of these birds in the Ma- 

 shoona country. The first met with on our return journey was 

 calling amongst some trees in the Matabele country near the 

 Tatin river. After this we occasionally heard them in various 

 parts of the country ; they are, however, more common in 

 the Rustenburg district of the Transvaal than in any other 

 part of South Africa I have yet visited. 



54. Campothera smith: (Malh.). 



(68) 5 , Umvuli river, 28th August. Iris ashy pink ; bill 

 dark horny ash-colour ; tarsi and feet light dingy green. 

 Total length in the Hesli 9 inches. 



Not very scarce, but difficult to procure. 



55. Dendropicus xamaquus (Licht.). 



(44) $ , Umvuli river, 14th August, and J , Quae Quae river, 

 32nd October. Female : iris brownish red ; bill dusky ash ; 

 tarsi and feet pale olive-green. Male : iris bright garnet-red ; 

 bill dark ash ; tarsi and feet light dingy olive-green. 



The loud harsh cry of this Woodpecker is often heard, 

 especially in the early morning, amongst the woods, but it is 

 not always easy to get within shot. 



'56. PSITTACUS MEYERI (RUpp.). 



(15) Limpopo river, Transvaal, 18th May, and Umvuli river, 

 4th September. Matabele name " Zignonene." In an adult 

 male shot in September the iris was reddish orange; in a 

 male of the year, also shot in September, the iris was light 

 olive-brown ; bill light ash, darker at the tip ; tarsi and feet 

 light ash. 



Common throughout the bush -country, plentiful in Ma- 

 shoona land, at the Umvuli river, and in other parts. There is 

 also a much larger Parrot, which we failed to obtain, in the 

 Mashoona country : green, with some yellow about the head, 

 possibly P. robustus. This species we found feeding on a wild 

 fruit called by the Mashoonas " Incona," which was ripe in 



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