SHRIKES 167 



They breed early in November, according to Millar, and 

 lay " two or three pretty white eggs delicately marked with 

 grey-brown streaks and splashes, principally at the obtuse 

 end." 



The Buddy-breasted Bush Shrike (L. rubigmosus) is olive- 

 green above with reddish-buff underparts, excepting the 

 abdominal region which is whitish, faintly barred with grey. 

 Length, 7| inches. It ranges through the bush regions of 

 the Cape from George eastwards through Natal and Zulu- 

 land into the Transvaal, where Ayres procured it at Lyden- 

 burg, and C. H. Taylor at Amsterdam. 



It constructs a shallow saucer-like nest of rootlets, &c, 

 which is so slightly built that one can usually see the eggs 

 through it. These are of a very pale creamy-green, speckled 

 and blotched, chiefly at the obtuse end, with pale sienna and 

 pale purplish-slate. 



It is a very shy bird and difficult to see, although its 

 beautiful call can be heard all through the summer months. 

 It nests during December and January. 



The Olive Bush-shrike (L. olivaceus) is like the preceding 

 species above, but is orange yellow on the breast going off 

 into yellowish on the abdomen. 



The pretty little Orange-breasted Bush-shrike (L. sul- 

 'phurei'pectus) can be immediately distinguished by its 

 reddish-orange breast, and by the bright yellow of the 

 remainder of the underparts. Top of head blue-grey. It 

 ranges as far south as Grahamstown and Lake Nyassa in 

 the north. 



Alexander, who took its eggs on the Zambesi, records 

 them as three in number and of a greenish white spotted 

 and blotched at the larger end. 



