14 FRIENDS OF THE AGRICULTURIST 



back and white underparts. Length, about 30 inches. It is 

 also a follower of the locust swarms, and breeds in Northern 

 Africa. 



There is no over-estimating the good all these birds do 

 in devouring large numbers of that terrible scourge to South 

 African agriculture, which, according to the locust officer 

 of the Transvaal, has resulted in ever-diminishing numbers 

 of this pest. 



BUNTINGS 



Starting with the Passeres, the Buntings are our next 

 group of friends. 



The Cape Bunting (Fringillaria capensis), or Streep kopje 

 (lit striped head), is a tame and confiding little bird, living 

 amongst the rocky kopjes on the veld or on stony ridges in 

 the vicinity of dwellings, where it creeps about amongst the 

 crannies looking for the insects which form its staple diet. 



It is rare in Albany, but is more plentiful in the North Cape 

 Province at Cradock and in the Orange Free State ; in the 

 latter country we took many nests, some as late as March. 

 It builds a cup-shaped nest in a low bush under a rock and 

 lays three or four pale greenish eggs thickly marked with 

 yellow and red-brown blotches and spots. 



The bird is of a brownish tint, streaked with black above, 

 and whitish below. The sides of the head are ornamented with 

 four alternate black and white streaks from which it derives 

 its Dutch name. Length, 6 inches ; wing, 3| inches. 



The smaller Bock Bunting (F. tahapisi) is also rare in 

 Albany, but is fairly common in the Orange Free State 

 and parts of the Transvaal, notably at Irene, near Pretoria. 

 One clutch of eggs was taken at Bluekrantz, near Grahams- 

 town, and several clutches in the Orange Free State. In 

 each case the nest was placed in a hollow in the ground 



