74 Mr. C. F. j\l. Swyuiieitoii vn Ihe 



two or three moth-ova. Odendaal has recently sent me 

 another shot by him near Chirinda on April 24th. The three 

 specimens measured 3-7, 3*75, and 3*9 inches, respectively, 

 in the flesh : upper mandible dark sepia, lower pale pinkish 

 grey or whitish, feet pale brownish yellow (in OdendaaFs 

 *' very pale pink "), and irides brownish yellow-ochre. The 

 stomachs contained a larva, beetles, and ova. 



103. Apalis thoracicus. Bar-throated Warbler. 



Rh., P. This little Warbler has become a great frequenter 

 of my thorn-hedges, where several pairs may be found at any 

 time searching for insects and calling to one another with 

 their sharp " pee-pee-pee '' note. This is usually like a weak 

 edition of the call of Luphoceros melanoltucus, though 

 occasionally, for it varies somewhat, it rises and falls like 

 that of our common squirrel {Sciurus paUiatus) , but in 

 this case it is, of course, much weaker. This bird is very- 

 common on the Kurumadzi, chiefly in and about the 

 outskirts of the dense bush, and I have found it at Maruma 

 in September searching the Clematis-vines for insects. 



I have taken eggs this season which differ from those 

 which I have already described in having large, pale pink 

 spots and blotches on (1) a white, and (2) a pale blue 

 ground. The OAvner of one of these clutches shewed con- 

 siderable cleverness. Being doubtful about her identity and 

 having waited in vain to see her, I attempted to trap her, 

 but she made a fresh entrance on one side of the noose 

 (which was quite inconspicuous), and on my twice netting 

 these new entrances up with bark-fibre, again a second and 

 a third time perforated the nest in a fresh place rather 

 than enter by the original opening. 



These little Warblers vary noticeably in size, those with 

 the broader band appearing to be always the largest ; nine, 

 measured in the flesh, average 4*88 inches, the largest broad- 

 banded bird being as much as 5*2 inches in length, and the 

 smallest narrow-banded specimen 4*25. In the nestling the 

 bill is light brown, the iris deep brown, and the feet very 

 pale pinkish grey. When barely able to flutter (Nos. 1080 



