Birds from British East Africa. 505 



93. Saxicola morio. Siberian Pied Chat. 

 Saxicola morio Hempr. & Ehr. 



The Siberian Pied Chat was not an uncommon species in the 

 open bush near the Athi River, and wherever a bit of ground 

 had been burnt by a forest fire we were sure to see several 

 individuals. It was always very shy and difficult to approach, 

 not flying far at a time, but just keeping out of gunshot. 



94. THAMNOLiEA suBRUFiPENNis. White-shouldcred Bush- 

 Chat. 



Tliamnolcea subrufipennis Reichen. 



Iris brown; bill and legs black. 



A pair of White-shouldered Bush-Chats were breeding in 

 the cleft of a rock on the side of a bushy kopje near Kallima 

 Theki. I was unable to get down to the nest^ but I repeat- 

 edly saw both male and female birds fly into the hole, and 

 on one occasion the female carried in a small grub in her 

 beak : so no doubt there were young ones. 



It had a very sweet song, and the cock-bird would sit on a 

 projecting rock above the nest singing beautifully ; but it 

 was very shy, and if I made the slightest movement would 

 at once dive off" into the thick foliage below. 



95. CossYPHA HEUGLiNi. Vou Hcuglin's Chat-Thrush. 

 Cossypha heuglini Hartl. 



Von Heuglin's Chat-Thrush was sparingly met with along 

 the Athi River, but was very difficult to procure owing to its 

 shy retiring habits and the thick undergrowth in which it 

 lives. Occasionally I came upon it scratching for insects in 

 the open ground, whence it would immediately fly to the 

 nearest cover. 



96. Cossypha iol^ma. East- African Chat-Thrush. 

 Cossypha iolama Reichen. 



Only obtained once on Kapiti Plains, on March 26th. 



97. Erythropygia brunxeiceps. Brown-headed Chat- 

 Thrush. 



Erythropygia brunneiceps Reichen. 

 Iris brown ; bill and legs dusky. 



