CUCKOO-SHRIKES 35 



closely allied Lead-headed Flycatcher (T. plumbeiceps), dis- 

 tinguished by its plain grey head, with hardly any gloss. 



Both species are denizens of forest and bush country. 



At Irene we found them frequenting a thick grove of 

 shady willow trees and poplars growing in the vicinity of 

 the Hennops River ; they may often be seen darting at some 

 unsuspecting insect or flitting from one tree to another with 

 a leisurely, graceful flight. 



The Paradise Flycatcher is very common in the Grahams- 

 town Kloofs, building a neat little cup-shaped nest of grass 

 and fibres covered on the outside with lichen and moss, 

 which is generally fixed near the end of a branch over- 

 hanging a pool or rill. 



The sitting female will allow one to approach to within 

 3 feet of her nest, and indeed it would even be possible in 

 some cases to catch her with the hand. 



The Paradise Flycatcher lays three pretty cream-coloured 

 eggs, spotted with pinkish-brown, with sometimes a few 

 additional purplish blotches. 



The Spotted Flycatcher (Musicapa grisola) is brown above, 

 the feathers of the top of the head with dark centres, giving 

 this region a mottled appearance. Cheeks and a ring round 

 the eye whitish. Underparts white, the breast and sides 

 being streaked with brown. Length about 6 inches. This is 

 a European bird, which migrates to India and South Africa, 

 arriving here about the middle of October and leaving us 

 in April. The Pretoria Zoo generally contains a goodly 

 number in the latter month when they are on their way 

 home. 



CUCKOO SHRIKES 



The Cuckoo-Shrikes (Family Campophagidce) are birds of 

 somewhat retiring habits. 



