Ornithology of the Matopo District. 209 



78. X Poicephalus meyeri. Meyer's Parrot. 

 Sind. "■ isihweka " or " isiwkenka/^ 



These Parrots are not uucommou within the hills^ but 

 are less numerous on the surrounding veld^ except perhaps 

 on the Unizingwani^ Unitjabezi, and Ovi rivers, where I have 

 found them in some numbers. 



79. :|: ChizserMs concolor. Grev Lourie. 

 Schizorhis concolor (Smith) ; Scl. iii. p. 219. 

 Sind. " umgiiwe." 



Common and resident throughout. I have found eggs in 

 January and May ; on the latter occasion^ the nest, more 

 substantially built than usual, was placed ten feet from the 

 ground in a " umangwe/^ — this being the first time I have 

 found the " Go-away bird " nesting in other than a thorny 

 tree. The eggs of two clutches gave a minimum length of 

 40 mm. and a maximum of 44*50 mm. ; the series being 

 42 X 32, 41 X 33-5, 40 x 33, 44 x 33, 43 x 34, and 44-5 x 35. 

 The Grey Lourie, besides the various forms of its well-known 

 call (whence its vernacular and native names), has also a 

 hoarse guttural chatter (but seldom heard, however) which 

 is very similar to that of the next species. 



80. Gallirex porphyreolophus. Purple-crested Lourie. 



Sind. " ikurukuru.'^ 



The Purple-crested Lourie, the most beautiful of all birds 

 found in the Matopos, is not uncommon, but is practically 

 confined to the more remote ranges. Even in its chosen 

 haunts, however, it is not a conspicuous bird, in spite of 

 its gay colours, and is but seldom seen, except, perhaps, as 

 it sails across a valley to alight, with a hop and a run, upon 

 some rock, whence it almost immediately disappears within 

 the thick foliage of a neighbouring tree. At other times, 

 such is its retiring nature, that even when one is warned of 

 its proximity by the harsh call-note, it often succeeds in 

 getting away unperceived. A favourite resort of this Lourie 

 in the western Matopos is the Malamba Eange, and it is 

 upon such ranges which have their slopes more or less 

 densely covered with trees and undergrowth, and not the 



