386 Letters, Extracts, and Notes. 



that an experienced eye is needed to find them, notwith- 

 standing that they are exposed on the bare ground. The 

 birds tried all manner of antics to entice me away from 

 their eggs. At one time they were observed sprawling with 

 their wings outstretched, then fluttering on the ground with 

 legs extended, or running about close by and feigning 

 lameness. It was most amusing to watch their clever devices 

 to lead me away from their nests. My object in sending the 

 specimen is owing to some doubt existing in my mind as to 

 which Pratincole it is. In Sclater^s book (Faun. S. Afr., 

 Birds, vol. iv. p. 333) Glareola pratincola is described as an 

 "accidental visitor to South Africa^'; he also says that the 

 "iris is blue with eyelids coral-red'^ ; whereas these birds 

 were nesting in hundreds, and, to make sure of identifica- 

 tion, 1 shot six specimens. They all had brown irides and 

 no coral-red eyelids ; besides which the females arc distin- 

 guishable from the males by the black line on the throat 

 being not so clearly defined, while the plumage is duller and 

 the outer tail-feathers less prolonged. All the birds had the 

 under wings-coverts chestnut, as is clearly observable when 

 they fly past, and there were none of the other Pratincoles 

 in the neighbourhood. I saw thirteen nests, all of whicili 

 contained two eggs each, mostly fresh : this was on the 

 ](5th of November last. I shall be glad to know whether 



the skin sent is that of G. pratincola. 



Yours &c., 

 Durban, N.atal, D. Millar. 



Dec. 9tli, 1907. 



[We have examined the skin sent, which is certainly that 

 of G. pratincola, not G. melanoptera. It is remarkable that 

 it should breed in Natal, as well as in Southern Europe. — 

 Edd.] 



Sirs, — When writing of Geocichla varia {' Ibis,^ above, 

 p. 132) I should have mentioned that Mr. Heatley Noble 

 exhibited a nest, bird, and eggs of this species at a meeting 

 of the B. O. C. on Feb. 21st, 1900 (Bull. B. O. C. x. p. xlvii). 

 These were obtained in the first place (along with others) 



