Ornithology of the Matopo District. 543 



used to frequent daily a large '^'umkuna^^ which was 

 growing at the entrance of our cave, and were always 

 very tame. 



133. t Batis molitor. White-flanked Flycatcher. 

 Pachi/prora molitor (Hahn & Kiist.) ; Scl. ii. p. 255. 



A more or less common species throughout the district. 



134. I Campephaga nigra. Black Cuckoo-Shrike. 



The Black Cuckoo-Shrike is but seldom seen, but I 

 noticed an individual on September 1, which at first 

 I mistook for Dicrurus ludwigi ; but the extreme squareness 

 of the tail, different note, and unapproachable manner at 

 length led to its correct identification. 



135. X Prionops talacoma. South African Helmet- Shrike. 

 Fairly common, but hardly numerous. These peculiar 



birds procure a considerable amount of their food on the 

 ground, but when flushed, invariably resort to trees with 

 a soft " clicking " sound — evidently produced by the 

 mandibles. At other times they may be found fluttering 

 through the scrub from bush to bush, and allowing a close 

 approach. In the evening, however, they resort to the 

 larger timber, and I have found them roosting in such trees 

 as the " umkamba," " umpumpu," "■ umngawe,'^ etc. I once 

 noticed a party of seven in open grassland flying a yard or 

 so, settling for a few seconds, flying forward again, and 

 they repeated these curious gambols for some hundreds 

 of yards. 



136. Sigmodus retzii. Black Helmet-Shrike. 



The Black Helmet-Shrike is not uncommon, but never 

 occurs other than in small parties of four or five, and the 

 species is practically confined to the hills. These birds ai-e 

 much shyer than Prionops, and are not readily noticeable 

 during the summer months on account of the screening 

 foliage, but from May onwards they are more in evidence. 



137. } Nilaus brubrn. Brubru Bush- Shrike. 

 Uncommon and somewhat local. 1 noticed several in 



June 1912 ; I also saw one close to Fortusher in 1908. 



