DESCRIPTION, DISTRIBUTION, HABITS 



Habits. — This bird is variously known as the schaap- 

 wachter (shepherd), nachtegaal, and rossignol. It is a faniihar 

 bird to the majority of South African farmers because of its 

 tameness and preference for the kraals of stock animals and the 

 neighbourhood of houses. It iii a bird of the open veld, and is 

 usually seen perched on a stone or a termite heap. The song is 

 very sweet. The bird may often be heard singing during quiet 

 moonlight nights. At times it imitates the notes of other 

 birds and the cries of various animals, such, for instance, as the 

 bleating of sheep and goats. 



The diet of this lovable little bird is entirely insectivorous. 

 The nest is made of dry grass ; it is saucer shaped, and usually 

 placed about 2 ft. within the entrance of the deserted hole of 

 some small animal. Sometimes they build in a cavity in an old 

 termite hill. These birds make a great outcry when they 

 discover a snake, for these reptiles are ever on the lookout for 

 the eggs and young of birds which build their nests on the 

 ground. Other birds, hearing the wheat-ears' cries, gather and 

 help to mob the snake, screaming, flying, and hopping round it. 

 Often one of them gets so excited that it seems to lose control 

 of itself and is seized by the reptile. Seeing birds chattering 

 around a snake leads many observers to erroneously believe 

 it is hypnotising them. 



Large Yellow Seed - Eater {Serinus sidphuratiis). 

 (Vol. I., p. 216.) 



Description. — Male : upper parts greenish-yellow with 

 blackish streaks. Upper tail coverts yellow, but not streaked. 

 Golden - yellow eyebrow. Throat golden - yellow. Breast 

 greenish-yellow. Abdomen yellow. The female is not so 

 bright in colour as the male. Iris brown. Bill dull yellowish. 

 Legs brown. 



Length.^ 6.00 ; tail, 2.55 ; wing, 3.25. 



Distribution. — Cape Province to East Africa. Common 

 in the Cape, Natal, Orange Free State, and Transvaal. 



Habits. — These seed-eaters associate in flocks in winter, 



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