NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



the wing. Under parts white, tinged on the breast flanks and 

 under rail coverts with rufous-buff. 

 The female is paler. 



Length, 8.5c ; tail, 3.80 ; wing, 4.00. 



Distribution. — From Cape Province to the Limpopo. 



Habits. — This shrike is common in the bush-veld of South 

 Afriai. Its favourite haunts are the dense thickets, through 

 which it creeps in search of iood. The male, when displaying 

 before its mate, erects the downv feathers on its rump. The 

 nest is made of tibres and roots. It is the usual open, cup-shaped 

 structure, and is fixed in a bush or the fork of a tree. Clutch, 3. 

 Eggs light blue, speckled with red-brown, chiefly at the larger 

 end. 



Grey Cuckoo Shrike firaucalus c^sius^. (Vol. L, 

 p. 284.) 



Description. — Male : bluish-grev aK^ve and below, the 

 colour being somewhat Avrker on the back. Black streak from 

 the base of the bill to the eye. A whitish ring round the eye. 

 Iris brown. Bill and legs black. 



Total length., IC.5C ; rail, 5.00 ; wing, 5.5 :". 

 The female is lighter grey, and the black streak on the fece 

 is not present. 



Distribution. — The woodlands oi South Africa from 

 Km^na in the Cape, up the east side oi South Africa to 

 Zululand. 



Habits. — This bird is an inhabitant oi the woods, and is 

 usuallv seen in the loftv trees or dense thickets. Family parties 

 of 3 to 5 are sometimes observed, although it is usually solitary, 

 or in pairs. 



Black Cuckoo Shrike Caffipopkaga nigra). (Vol. I., 



p. 284.) 



Description. — Male : black above and below. Shoulders 

 of wings vellow. The female is dark grey, the feathers tipped 



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