202 Mr. A. Anderson on the 



side of the tree, with what appeared to me a small snake in 

 its talons. To transfer the quarry from the drooping feet 

 into its heak, drop it into the gaping mouth of its offspring, 

 and to take a header, with closed wings, out of the nest (for- 

 tunately on my side), was the work of a moment ; and a very 

 beautiful sight it was. A lucky snap-shot, and I was actually 

 guilty of the double crime of murder as well as robbery. The 

 old bird proved to be a female on dissection ; she was devoid 

 of any spots or markings, and accords exactly with the de- 

 scription of the fully adult bird given at page G22, P. Z. S. 

 for 1872. 



The little downy creature, not more than fifteen days old, 

 according to my data, was safely let down in a wicker basket, 

 and looked so delicate that I was apprehensive of being able 

 to rear it. Imagine my surprise on finding a five-inch tail 

 of a lizard (which I had taken for a snake) dangling out of 

 one side of its mouth ! The head and body of this dainty 

 morsel were no further than the throat, so that by gently 

 pulling it out, I was able to identify it as Calotis versicolor. 

 While waiting for a shot, I observed that the little inmate 

 of the nest was particularly clean in its habits, and used to 

 eject its faces right over the side of the nest. 



We now retraced our footsteps to the first nest, every now 

 and again watching the gradual disappearance of the lizard's 

 tail. In a quarter of an hour the little creature again com- 

 menced yelping for food, and began to peck at my fingers ; 

 but the country was so dreadfully dried up that no reptilian, 

 not even a frog, was procurable. I therefore shot a Dove, 

 which, to my delight, was devoured as quickly as it could be 

 cut up. 



By 4 P.M. I was in possession of the squab belonging to the 

 first nest above alluded to ; and these two gave me incessant 

 work for the remainder of the day. Before evening they had 

 demolished three Doves and two Minas, and they were quite 

 game to eat by candle-light as well. 



The following morning I was far from fit for any fur- 

 ther exposure to the sun, as the frequent yelping of the Eaglets, 

 which I was obliged to keep in an open basket at my bed- 



