Birds' -nesting Notes from the Transvaal. 15 



To these contributions on Brazilian ornithology I may add, 

 lastly, a reference to one which I published in 1899 (" As 

 Aves do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul ") in the ' Annuario 

 do Estado do Rio do Sul ' para anno de 1900 (Porto Alegre, 

 1899). There are here admitted 363 species as occurring 

 in this State. In vol. iv. of the ' Revista do Museu 

 Paulista^ I have already been able to add six more species, 

 and amongst them some of special interest, such as Dacnis 

 cayana from Novo Hamburgo. It seems really quite 

 doubtful whether many species exist in the State of 

 St. Catharina which are not also represented in the northern 

 part of the State of Rio Grande do Sul. The other additions 

 are MacropsaJis creagra, Asia accipitrinus, Falco fusco- 

 ccerulescens from Novo Hamburgo, and Porphijr'whi mar- 

 tinica and Gisella iheringi from S. Lourenfo. 



I have also lately received from Porto Alegre examples of 

 GaUinago gigantea. 



S. Paulo, 4th June, 1900. 



IV. — Birds' -nesthig Notes from the Transvaal. 

 By Alwin C. Haagner. 



On the 3rd September, 1899, while strolling along the shore 

 of a dam in this district, I found the nest of a " Quicky " 

 [Motacilla capensis L.). It was constructed of coarse grass 

 and lined with feathers ; it contained one abnormally coloured 

 egg. This was of a salmon-grey colour, without spots or 

 markings. Proceeding from the dam to a clump of mimosa- 

 trees {Acacia horrida), I found an unusual number of nests 

 of the Pied Shrike {Lanius col/aris). They all contained 

 three eggs, and were, without exception, constructed of a 

 plant with white silvery flowers, which was just then in 

 bloom, and were lined with twine and feathers. I also found 

 several nests of the common Sparrow of this district {Passer 

 arcuati(s) . The eggs of these birds are subject to an enormous 

 amount of variation. I have taken eggs almost black in 

 colour, owing to the profusion and darkness of the blotches, 



