26 FRIENDS OF THE AGRICULTURIST 



bird with the top of the head black, forehead and a long 

 eyebrow buff-white ; wings, tail, sides of face and neck, 

 and throat black ; rest of under-surface and rump region 

 buff. The plumage of the female is much duller, being more 

 or less of a general brownish-buff tint. Length, 7 inches. 



It is fairly common in the region ranging from the Eastern 

 Cape Province to the Transvaal. At Grahamstown, Cape 

 Province, and Bloemfontein, Orange Free State, it is fairly 

 common, presenting a conspicuous appearance as it sits on 

 a rock and warbles its loud, lively song. 



It is fond of rocky localities, building its nest under an 

 overhanging rock, or in a rat's hole, and laying three or 

 four eggs of a pale blue-green speckled with red- brown. 



It feeds on insects of various kinds. 



Another familiar insect-eating species known throughout 

 the country is the little Bontrockie (lit. Parti-coloured Coat), 

 or South African Stonechat (Pratincola torquata). The 

 male in summer is black above except the rump regions, 

 which are white, chestnut and white below, the black feathers 

 taking a rufous edging during the winter months. The 

 female is browner and more sombrely plumaged. Length, 

 about 5| inches. 



The Bontrockie may be found flitting about the banks 

 of a spruit (stream), or perching on the ant-heaps and stems 

 of the open veld some distance from water. 



It usually nests under a tuft of grass growing on the 

 edge of a bank, generally overhanging water; but some- 

 times under a tuft of herbage on a slope some distance 

 from the water. The eggs are usually three in number and 

 of a pale greenish tinge blotched with pale rusty-brown. 



The genus Saxicola, containing some well-known birds, is 

 a large one. 



