68 jNIr, ('. r. M. Swyiiiierton o7i Ike 



externally, ehiefly of soft white grass-blades, some twigs, 

 and one or two strips of bark of Markhamiu Janata ; a long 

 tail of these grass-blades hung from the side of the nest. 

 The eggs varied slightly, the ground-colour being pale olive 

 and olive-tinged white (hardly visible), respectively, much 

 marbled, blotched, and smudged with darker olive-brown of 

 various shades, the darkest markings taking the form of spots 

 and streaks. In the latter there are also rounded spots of 

 deep grey, chiefly about the larger end. They measure ] inch 

 by 0-7 and 0'91 by 064 respectively. The nests measured 

 4-3 and 3"3 by 3*75 respectively in diameter, by 3 inches 

 in depth, that of the cup varying from only 0'75 in the 

 Chibabava nest to 2*1 inches in the other. The sitting bird 

 leaves the nest at once on one's approach and does not return 

 for a considerable time, when her mate also puts in an 

 appearance, and, if the intruder continues to remain, they 

 finally lose patience and shew; themselves frequently and 

 freely, flying away for a few seconds only and constantly 

 returning, uttering their "Barac" note all the time with 

 great anxiety. 



The bill is always grey-brown, the base of the gonys paler, 

 and the feet light blue-grey, in one specimen dusky grey. 

 The stomachs have in all four of my specimens contained 

 wild fruits and, in one, three large " soldier '' termites as 

 well. These four birds average.d- in; length 8'41 inches in the 

 flesh, varying from S'l to 8*7, ,, ;- 



92. Phyllostrophus capensis. Cape Bristle-necked 

 Bulbul. 



Rh., P. Very common in 'the denser bush of the Kuru- 

 madzi and hardly less so in the grass-jungle. I have also 

 noted them in the Inyamadzi Valley, in that of the Chikara- 

 boge, and commonly in and near the forest-patch of Maruma. 

 In the low veld I heard them in the denser bush about 

 Boka and the Idunda Eiver, in the thick scrub along the 

 Buzi at Chibabava, and in the Madanda forests, where they 

 appear to be common and where a party passed close beside 

 me on the ground as I was carrying out a root-tapping 



