19.2 Mr. A. C'. Haagncr — Oi'tdtlwhxjical 



burg Field-Naturalists' Club, I discussed the wonderful 

 protective resemblance of this Nightjar. Oti one occasion 

 I could not clearly make out what seemed to be a hump on a 

 branch, and on climbing up to get a closer view, was astonished 

 to see a Nightjar fly off. It had been sitting lengthways on 

 tlie bough, flattened up against it, and the colours of the 

 animate and inanimate objects blended to perfection. 



5. CoLioPAssER PROCNE. (Loug-tailcd Widow-bird.) 

 This species is very common in the Transvaal, so far as 



can be judged from my experience in the Pretoria and 

 Heidelberg districts. It is seen flying about the velt 

 everywhere, which is not the case with any other species of 

 Weaver, so far as I am aware. The nesting-season com- 

 mences in October and November. The eggs are of a 

 dirty grey-white ground-colour, indiscriminately dotted and 

 blotched with light and purplish brown. Axis |" or 

 22-23 mm., diam. j^" or 14-15 mm. Tlieir number is 

 generally four, but varies, according to my experience, from 

 three to five. I have always found the nest in a tuft of long 

 herbage near the ground. It is constructed of fine grass and 

 lined with the flowery heads of the same. 



6. Passer aucuatus. (Arched Sparrow.) 



On the 17th February, 1900, I found a fully-fledged 

 young Cuclfoo [Chrysococcyx cupreus) in a nest of this bird. 

 I put it in a cage, which greatly excited its fuster parents. 

 They resented my treatment of their supposed youngster by 

 loud cries, and approached me in their agitation to within a 

 distance of four feet. They kept hovering round the cage 

 until I had let the fledgling go. 



7. TiNNUNcuLUs RUPicoLoiDEs. (Larger South- African 

 Kestrel.) 



In my first paper (supra, p. 16) I gave a description of the 

 eggs of this bird. On the 28th July, 1899, on dissecting a 

 specimen, I found its stomach full of ants with a whole lizard 

 in two pieces. In its gullet I found a large quantity of re- 

 mains of birds. The food appears to be insects, lizards, birds, 

 and mice. Soft parts : — Iridcs pinkidi hazel ; cere bright 



