Vol 

 1904 



J Stray Feathers. I g 



stood under a giant mango tree, with its immense head of dark, 

 thick foliage, and have shot no less than eleven species of birds 

 from its branches without hardly moving. They seem to take 

 refuge here during the hottest hours of the day from the sun's 

 fierce rays. Several species of Cuckoo-Shrike inhabit the island. 

 Flycatchers are very strongly represented, and one of the most 

 common is one of the Paradise species, with two very long tail 

 feathers in the male ; head and neck a rich lead colour ; breast 

 white ; wings, back, and tail rich brown or rufous ; and a very 

 decided crest. They are very noiseless. I have never heard 

 them utter a sound, and they were very plentiful amongst the 

 clove trees, where they kept very close to the ground, capturing 

 many diurnal moths, to be found in great numbers there. 

 Many species of Grass-Warblers and Reed-Birds are to be found 

 amongst the high grass— some very, very small ones. The family 

 Nectariidce are very well represented here, some of most beautiful 

 and striking plumage. One of the most common is the Scarlet- 

 breasted Sun-Bird, which is dispersed all over the island. I shot 

 the same bird in half a dozen places on the East Coast. This 

 bird I have seen in dozens at about 4 o'clock in the afternoon 

 congregating in a flowering tree, and have noticed he is a most 

 pugnacious little chap. The males will fight most determinedly- 

 and I have seen them attack birds three times their own size. 

 The general plumage is velvety brown with a purple sheen through 

 it ; a patch of metallic green on forehead and throat ; the chest 

 and throat or lower part of the throat a deep scarlet. Although 

 I have seen and collected one species of Zosterops nearly all the 

 way up the mainland, I have not seen any on the island ; perhaps 

 it may not be the time of the year for them, and they only visit 

 here at stated times. Two species of Swallow have been seen— 

 one a mouse-coloured, small one, which is very numerous. I 

 have also seen the white-breasted one which is found on the main- 

 land. I shot several specimens of the Pipits which I take to be 

 the Tawny Pipit, described by Woodward, if I remember rightly, 

 as Anthus rufulus. I shot this bird at Lake St. Lucia, but did not 

 meet with it north of Mozambique ; I feel sure it is the same bird. 

 Finches are well represented on this island, like the mainland, 

 and I noticed that the species known as the South African Canary 

 is distributed in great "numbers from the Cape peninsula to this 

 island. I saw it and shot specimens at Delagoa Bay, on the 

 Zambesi, Mozambique, Pomba Bay, and Dar-es-salaam, and now 

 here. I procured the rare little Yellow Weaver-Bird here, also 

 its eggs and nest. This bird is found on the coast, but is 

 represented by Layard as being a very rare bird ; in its habits 

 it seems to take the place of the black- faced variety, found all 

 over South Africa, and builds a nest very peculiar in shape. The 

 eggs are much paler in colouring and show spots. In shape 

 they are like the Bishop-Bird's eggs, but not such a dark blue. 

 I think this species is called capensis. I have not seen a true 

 Lark on the island, and only the one species of Pipit as aforesaid 



