CHATS 27 



The Mountain Chat, (S. monticola) is chiefly remarkable 

 for the puzzling phases of plumage through which the male 

 passes — from brownish-black with the rump regions and 

 the basal portion of the tail-feathers white, except the two 

 centre ones (this is the plumage of the female throughout), 

 to grey, and greyish-white with white shoulders. Length, 

 8 inches. 



It is a common bird in the drier [tortious of South Africa. 

 from the Middle and Western (ape Province northwards. 



It is a lover of rocky localities, being found in the dreariest 

 of places. 



It nests under rocks or on a ledge of a bank, and lays 

 pale blue-green eggs which are sometimes plain and some- 

 times speckled with reddish-purple. 



The Capped Wheatear (S. pileata) is the Schaap-wachter 

 (Shepherd) of the Dutch. It resembles the Buff-streaked 



Chat at first sight, but can easily be recognised by its rufous- 

 brown back and broad black chest-hand. Length, 6| 

 inches. 



It is a tame, confiding bird and is fond of the neighbour- 

 hood of buildings and kraals. It differs from the Buff- 

 streaked Chat in habits in preferring flat open stretches to 

 more mountainous regions. It builds a flat, saucer-shaped 

 nest of hair and grass in a hole, and lays eggs of a pale greeny- 

 white colour. 



This is a fairly common bird in the Brandfort and Spring- 

 fontein districts, Orange Free State. 



The Familiar Chat (S.familiaris), more commonly known 

 as the Spekvreter (Bacon-eater), is reddish-brown above, and 

 huffish below. It is fairly well distributed throughout South 

 Africa, and seems to prefer the neighbourhood of farm- 

 houses and cattle-kraals, eating bacon and fat from the 



