1921.] Birds of Northern Rhodesia. 6l3 



F. swainsoni was tlie commonest, and frequented the gardens 

 of the natives. I also saw a fair number oi' Pternistes crayiclii, 

 which appeared to keep to thick bush by water, and not to 

 use the cultivated land ; I was surprised to find the range of 

 this species extended so far to the south-west of where I 

 last saw it in the Nyando Valley, British East Africa. There 

 were also a few true Fi'ancolins of one or perluqis two species 

 found sparingly in the larger patches of thick bush and on 

 the top of a ko})je near the Nasenga River, but we did not 

 obtain any specimens. No Ostrich is found in north-west 

 Rhodesia. 



Another family that was notably poorly represented for 

 Africa was that of the true Shrikes. I did not see a single 

 Lanius or Fiscus ; on the other hand, in most places Urolestes 

 was abundant, and Talacoma poliocephala often seen in small 

 flocks. The latter were very wary and none were shot by us; 

 but one day, while tracking an Eland, I saw a small bird 

 struggling in the grass at the foot of a tree, and thought that 

 it had noosed itself, while Cooper, our hunter, thought that a 

 snake had caught it : we went to it and found two of the 

 Helmet-Shrikes fighting. When we were (juite near to them 

 they disengaged themselves and flew to the branch of a tree 

 close above our heads, a third bird joined thrm, then the 

 original two resumed their fight, and locked together fell to the 

 ground ncjar mj gunljearer, who killed them both with a tap 

 from my walking-stick. The wildness mentioned above was 

 not confined to the He^^net-Shrikes, all the smnll birds in the 

 plains and bush were extraordinarily diflicult to get near, and 

 as t!ie larger waders, geese and other birds along the river 

 were more approachable than usual, 1 attribute it to the 

 annual burning of the grass, which in August is just finish- 

 ing. The heavy summer rainfall and the hot sun produce a 

 very strong growth of grass that in places attains a height 

 ahove the head of a num riding, though generally only 

 reaching to the knee. The Mashakalumbwe, who inhabit 

 this district, as soon as the grass is dry enough, burn it in 

 strips and patches, and with speais and dogs kill all they 

 can of the animals hiding in it. Since the arrival of white 



