88 THE FARMER'S FOES 



It ranges from the Cape Province to the Zambesi, but is 

 not found in the Orange Free State, nor in the Western 

 or Central Transvaal. 



The White-backed Mousebird (C. copensis) is easily dis- 

 tinguishable from the foregoing bird by the centre of the 

 back being white bordered with black, and a patch of dark 

 maroon on the rump. This is the Western species ranging 

 from Cape Town, touching the Orange Free State and the 

 Transvaal, up to Damaraland. 



The Ked-faced Mousebird (C. indicus) can easily be 

 recognised from either of the two first-mentioned species 

 by its greyish-green colour and the conspicuous crimson 

 skin round the eye. 



The Colies nest in trees, building a somewhat frail saucer- 

 shaped structure of sticks, which is lined — in the case 

 of the Speckled Mousebird — with green leaves, and with 

 grass and vegetable down so far as the other two are con- 

 cern) ■( 1 . 



In the Grahamstown District we found the Speckled and 

 the Red-faced Mousebirds common, but in the more central 

 portions of the Orange Free State and Central Transvaal 

 only the Red-faced species occurs. 



The latter bird lays three eggs of a creamy- white, sparingly 

 speckled and streaked with red, which may be searched 

 for during the months of November and December. 



It is, however, amongst the Family Falconidm (Hawks, 

 Eagles and Falcons) that some of the worst of the farmer's 

 foes are to be found. 



FALCONS 



The first species we will deal with is the South African 

 Lanner (Falcu biarmicus) — a handsome, bold-looking bird of 



