370 Mr. T. E. Buckley on Birds observed 



Beak and legs black ; iris reddish orange. 



Common throughout the north of the Transvaal into the 

 Matabili country, and first met with at Eland's river. The 

 habits of this and of C.jardinii are similar. Tliey go in 

 flocks from tree to tree, following each other almost in single 

 file. When one commences its peculiar sort of chuckling 

 note, it is followed by the others, the noise increasing until it 

 is almost deafening. They creep about the bushes Avith won- 

 derful care ; and if a wounded one gets into a tree, it is ex- 

 tremely difficult to retrieve it. They have a skimming sort 

 of flight. 



Crateropus jardimi, Smith. 

 ? . Transvaal, July 3rd, 1873. 



Beak and legs black ; iris yellow with a black rim. 



The description of the habits of C. bicolor will answer 

 equally for this species. I took a nest of this bird on the 

 banks of the Limpopo, on the 23rd of November. It con- 

 tained but one egg ; but the parent bird was close to the nest, 

 which was about the size of a Blackbird's, deep and coarsely 

 lined, and placed in a small but very thorny tree. The eggs 

 were of a blue colour, like a Thrush's, without spots. 



COSSYPHA CAFFRA (L.). 



? . Transvaal, July 2nd, 1873. 

 Beak black ; legs black ; iris dark hazel."' - 



CoSSYPHA HUMERALIS (Smith). 



Bessonornis humeralis (Smith) : Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 132. 



a, (J. Makalapse River, Bamangwato, October 25th, 1873. 



Beak black ; legs brownish black ; iris dark hazel. 



I observed a pair of these birds on a small stony hill, and 

 procured the male. They were not at all shy ; but from the 

 thickness of the cover it was difficult to get far enough ofi" 

 to shoot them without spoiHng them. They flew and hopped 

 about the bushes in search of food, but seemed to avoid the 

 open ground. 



Myrmecocichla formicivora (V.). 



^ ? . Bushman's River, Natal, May 21st, 1873. 



Beak and legs black ; iris dark hazel. 



