WARBLERS -THRUSHES 21 



River, Pretoria District, Transvaal. The Red- vented Tit- 

 babbler builds a cup-shaped nest of rootlets and twigs lined 

 with finer material, fibre, hair. &c, and lays three eggs of 

 a white ground colour blotched with light and dark sepia 

 coloured markings. It is a neat, active little bird and a 

 true friend of the agriculturist, existing almost exclusively 

 upon insects. 



WARBLERS 



The Warblers (Sylmidce) are a large group of more or less 

 dull-coloured little birds, which are difficult of correct identifi- 

 cation. They arc also true friends of the fanners, but the few 

 species we will treat of will be referred to in other chapters. 



THRUSHES 



The family of Thrushes, Chats. &c. (Turdidce), is a large 

 one, and South Africa possesses a number of useful species. 

 including amongst them some of our best-known birds. 



First in order of classification comes the Ground-scraper 

 Thrush (Turdus litsipsirupa), a bird with a pale brown 

 back, and whitish underparts sprinkled with large pear- 

 shaped spots of black. Length, 8J inches. This bird is 

 scarce and local in some regions, although we found it not 

 uncommon on the Modder River, Orange Free State, 

 and also along the Crocodile River in the Pretoria Bushveld. 

 It is fairly common in South- West x\frica. Major Sparrow 

 describes the egg as of a pale blue ground colour speckled 

 with light and dark brown. It nests during the months 

 of September to November. 



The best known species of Thrushes in this country are 

 the Cape Thrush (T. olivaceus) and its " up-country " 

 representative, the Orange-billed Thrush (T. cabanisi). They 

 are of a general slatey-olive tint on the back ; whitish throat 



