Ornithohf/ists' Club. 367 



"A loquat-tree {Photinia japonica) with ripening fruit is 

 the most likely place to see the Cape Bulbul [Pycnonotus 

 capensis). The ridiculous claim of this bird to figure in the 

 British List should be scouted by all sensible persons. It 

 is a strictly local South- African species and does not range 

 far north. 



" The pretty Yellow Weaver-bird [Sitagra capensis) I was 

 delighted to find busy in constructing its excessively neat 

 hanging nests in many gardens of the city and suburbs. 

 One small community had selected a willow-tree close to 

 the Public Library^ near the celebrated Oak-walk^ for the 

 purpose. I never failed to stop as I passed by every day to 

 admire the sprightly and active way in which these little birds 

 exercised their craft. In another spot the ill-advised builders 

 had selected a bunch of papyrus-stalks in an ornamental 

 pond for the seat of their operations. So soon as the nest 

 was complete the weight of the structure broke the papyrus 

 dowUj and caused the fall of stalk and nest into the water 

 beneath. But the indefatigable birds would take no heed of 

 this event^ and commenced their fruitless work again on 

 an adjoining stalk. 



" In a garden at Sea-pointy the marine suburb of Capetown, 

 I was much delighted, on an afternoon in September, to 

 witness the proceedings of a small flock of Colics (believed 

 to have been Colius capensis). They were creeping about in 

 a small tree-like shrub, and having searched it thoroughly 

 through proceeded to another. Their curious mouse-like 

 climbing antics and the positions assumed are known to 

 us from captive specimens in the Regent^s Park, but this 

 was my only opportunity of witnessing their evolutions in a 

 natural condition. As the eggs of this isolated form — one 

 of the most distinctive Ethiopian types of bird-life — are not 

 well known, I beg leave to exhibit some specimens of them. 



''On the margin of the pond on Sea-point Common I also 

 noticed specimens of a Pipit [Anthus sp. inc.) and a small 

 Shore-Plover {jEgialitis) , but could not be certain as to the 

 species. 



"Two ascents of the well-known and most picturesque 



2c2 



