536 Mr. L. B. Mouritz on the 



Matopos, as was noted to be tlie case in Damaraland by 

 Andersson. A breeding female sbot on the 7th of February 

 was infested with small ticks on the crown, and, although 

 referable to the present species (the underside immediately 

 distinguishing it from the southern darker form), it differed 

 materially from Sclater's description. The upperside was 

 hardly "pale mouse-colour/' but intermediate in this respect 

 between R. fuligula and R. anderssoni. Another important 

 difference was in the tail ; the four centre rectrices 

 and the two outermost were immaculate, leaving only six 

 feathers with white on the inner webs. The under tail- 

 coverts were darker than the breast and edged with greyish, 

 and the longest reached within 3 mm. of the end of the 

 central rectrices. Upper mandible black ; lower black also, 

 but lighter at the base ; iris brown ; legs and feet light 

 brown. This specimen measured 121*5 mm. in length ; 

 wing lirS ; tail 50'25 ; tarsus 11*5, and culmen 7. 



In the case of the nesting colony, on ]\Iatjanyoni kopje, 

 visited in February, the nests seemed to be all placed in 

 precipitous and inaccessible places. In one case they were 

 situated on ledges of rock inside a large cavity ; and in 

 another, on a ledge beneath a huge mass of overhanging 

 granite and above a steep wall of rock, whilst there were 

 also nests in smaller cavities on the other side of the kopje. 

 Nesting colonies within the hills are situated on Makalan- 

 yoni, Mshingili, Pomomwi, Inengwe Ranges, etc. During 

 the nesting-season these Martins seem to hang around 

 their chosen spots very much, and may be seen flying 

 round and round, up and down and over the kopje (in 

 well-defined routes), snapping up insect-life on their way ; 

 or they may be observed flitting lazily about higher in 

 the air over the top of the kopje ; at other times they 

 love to rest secure in some small irregularity of surface ou 

 the faces of the larger masses of granite, basking in the rays 

 of the rising or setting sun — every now and again taking 

 a short circuitous flight only to return to the same spot. 

 Later in the year this Martin frequents the streams more, 

 and may often be noted over reaped and other lands. 



