22 FRIENDS OF THE AGRICULTURIST 



streaked with rufous and black : sides of body and belly 

 orange-rufous ; length about 9| inches. The main differences 

 between the two species arc as follows : The flanks, which 

 in olivaceus are orange-chestnut, are brown in cabanisi ; the 

 bill of the latter bird is wholly of a yellowish-orange colour, 

 while that of olivaceus has the upper mandible of a dusky 

 olive-green. The Cape Thrush ranges from Cape Province 

 through Natal to Zululand, while its place is taken in the 

 Orange Free State, Transvaal and Bechuanaland by the 

 Orange- billed species. 



The Kurrichaine Thrush (T. li human us) is somewhat 

 similar to the two preceding species, differing mainly in 

 having the centre of the belly white and the bill bright 

 orange-red. Length, 8| inches. W. L. Sclater says this is 

 the commonest form of Thrush between the Orange and 

 Zambesi Rivers. It is common in the precincts of the 

 Pretoria Zoo. 



All three birds lay from three to five bluish-green eggs 

 speckled and blotched, chiefly at the larger end, with reddish- 

 brown. They build large cup-shaped nests of twigs and 

 roots situated generally in a thick bush or tree. They feed 

 largely on insect life, thus being useful birds, but are not 

 above occasionally devouring fruit. 



Two fairly common birds in the district of Grabamstown 

 are the Cape Eock- Thrush (Monticola rupestris) and the 

 Sentinel Eock-Thrush (M. explorator). Both are of a 

 reddish- brown colour above and chestnut-red below, the 

 Cape Rock- Thrush differing from its congener in having 

 only the head and neck of a slatey-blue colour, whereas 

 this coloration is continued on to the back in the case of the 

 " Sentinel." In addition, the latter is a smaller bird, being 

 7| inches in length against 9 inches for the former species. 



