Birda of Gazaland. 395 



160. Caprimulgus fossil Mozambique Nightjar. 



Rh., P. The call either of this Nightjar or of C.fervidus 

 (I have been unable to ascertain which utters it) is rather 

 well rendered by the natives as " Chidekiiruru ! Mukadzi 

 warorgwa ! " (Grandpapa ! my wife is paid for !), and I 

 constantly heard this " Chidekitruru " note about Melsetter 

 in September, 



The stomach of a male which I secured on the 8th of 

 January, flying and settling with its mate amongst some 

 Kafir huts on the Umtefu, contained nine small coprophilous 

 beetles and a Scutellarid bug. Another contained a large 

 number of Onthophagus gazella. 



The bill is usually light reddish brown with a black or 

 blackish tip, the palate and gape flesh-piuk. The eyelids 

 are whitish and the irides very deep umber-brown. 9*65, 9'75, 

 and 10 inches represent the length in the flesh of three males 

 measured. The wing-measurement of the five specimens 

 in my collection varies from 5*9 to Q'7 inches, and that of 

 the tail from 4*3 to 3'5. This is evidently a very variable 

 species. 



161. CosMETORNis VEXiLLARius. Staudard-wing Night- 

 jar. 



Rh., P. The usual Nightjar-names, '^ Muswerahope" and 

 *' Isavolo,'^ are commonly applied by the natives to this bird, 

 though, in Chindao, a special name, " Mwere,^^ is sometimes 

 used for the male in breeding-plumage. A female, obtained 

 by Odendaal near Chirinda on January 16th of this year, 

 measured 10*3 inches in the flesh. 



162. CoRACiAS GARRULUs. European Roller. 



Singuni : "Iveve" (applied to all Rollers, including 

 Eurystomus afer). 



P. I first noted these Rollers on December 6th in the open 

 bush near Gezanye, where quite a number were settling high 

 in the trees and making flights after their prey ; I noticed 

 one catch a large insect very cleverly on the wing. During 

 the first few days of January I found them quite common, 

 singly or in pairs, throughout the lowlands from Malata to 



