DKSCKIP'IION, UJ.-'i klHU'i ION, liAblT.^ 



with yellow and narrowly streaked with dark slate. Tail 

 tipped with yellow. Iris dark brown. Bill and legs black. 



Total lengthy 8.50 ; tail, 4.1 5 ; wing, 4.1 5. 



Distribution. — The wooded districts from Cape Province, 

 and north to Mossamedc-s and Nva^^aland. 



Habits. — 'Ihe black cuckoo shrike never leaves the precincts 

 of its wooded home, where it may be observed singly, in pairs, 

 or family parties of 3 or 4. The nest is placed in a fork 

 high up in a lofty tree. It is small and cup shaped, and is 

 built of hne twigs and moss bound with spiders' webs and covered 

 with lichen. Clutch, 2 ; eggs smoky-green, spotted and 

 streaked with brown ; size, 0.90 by c.68. 



Southern Grey-headed Bush Shrike ' Lanarius starkly. 

 (Vol. I., p. 284.; 



Description. — Male : head and neck bluish-grey. Back 

 pale yellowish-green. Wing coverts tipped with pale yellow. 

 Tail olive-green tipped with pale vellow, except the two central 

 feathers. Under parts bright vellow. Upper chest tawny- 

 yellow. Iris yellow. Bill black. Legs ash-brown. 



The female resembles the male. 



Total length., c^.J^S '^ tail, 4.C ; wing, 4.4c. 



Distribution. — The eastern side of Africa from the east 

 corner of Cape Province through Natal, Zululand, Eastern 

 Transvaal, to Zanzibar. 



Habits. — The spook vogel (ghost bird), as this shrike is 

 often termed, inhabits the dense bush in pairs. The nest is 

 very much like that of the common fiscal shrike or butcher 

 bird. It is placed in the midst of a thick bush, preferably a 

 thorny one. Clutch, 3 ; eggs cream with brown and grey 

 irregular spots forming a slight crown at the larger end ; 

 size, 1. 1 6 by c.66. 



105 



