218 Messrs. R. B. & J. D. S. Woodward on 



in the heat of the day, wheu most other birds are silent. 

 It is naturally half-tame, and even old birds when caught 

 soon become contented and happy in confinement. A friend 

 of ours used to keep a number of these little Doves in a 

 large cage ; they were caught in the garden, where they came 

 attracted by the fruit of the mulberry-fences. We have 

 found their nests in low trees, where they make a small 

 platform of sticks, and lay two yellowish-white eggs. 



The pretty South- African Oriole [Oriolus larvatus) is 

 fond of these high trees, and flies up and down the kloofs 

 uttering its loud pleasant cry. Besides this cry it possesses an 

 excellent song, with clear mellow notes. Its bright yellow 

 plumage and black head would make it a handsome cage- 

 bird, but it is difficult to obtain the young. The Golden 

 Oriole (0. galbula) is much rarer, and we met with it only 

 south of Natal. 



Tardus olivaceus is common in all the woods, and is, 

 perhaps, our best songster. When startled it flies ofi' with a 

 chattering cry, like that of the English Blackbird. The 

 Rock-Thrush {Monticola riipestris) is a handsome species 

 inhabiting rocky places and kranzes. It sings its short 

 sweet song while perched on a small tree growing among 

 the rocks. The bright blue head of the male bird is a 

 striking contrast to the rest of the plumage, and the red tail, 

 spread out when flying, is very conspicuous. Cossypha caffra 

 is a really good songster, and its sweet notes may be heard 

 to advantage in the early morning before daybreak. It is 

 our " Redbreast," and has the Robin-like habit of jerking up 

 its tail as it hops about looking for insects. Cossypha bicolor 

 has a variety of loud monotonous call-notes besides its 

 pleasant song. It is of a retiring disposition and keeps to 

 the cover of the thick bushes. 



The '' Top-knot Thrush " (Pycnonotus capensls) is abun- 

 dant everywhere. Like the rest of the Bulbuls, it keeps 

 more to the high trees than the true Thrushes. The " Top- 

 knot" has a few agreeable notes; it is a noisy, bold bird, 

 and if it sees a snake or anything else to alarm it, it sets up 

 a loud cackling. It is rather a nuisance in a garden, being 



