170 DENIZENS OF THE FOREST 



is known bo the Dutch as Boschvogel from its bush-loving 



habits, and is fairly common in the bush districts of the 

 (ape. It is olive-green above and olive-grey below. Length, 

 8| inches. 



Near Grahamstown, where it is known as the " Pilawit," 

 it is one of the hosts of the Cuckoos (Coccystes jacobin us. 

 hypopinarius, serratus, and Guculus clamosus). It nests 

 from November to January, building a small neat shallow 

 structure of beard moss and twigs, and lays two eggs of a 

 creamy grey ground, prettily marbled with very pale and 

 dark purplish-brown blotches. A nest taken on January 5, 

 in the Featherstone Valley, near Grahamstown, was built 

 a I I lie extremity of a low branch overhanging the river, and 

 contained two of the Bulbul's eggs, and one of " Cocci/sivs 

 serratus." 



ROBINS 



The commonest member of the Robin-Chats is the 

 "'('ape" species (CossyplLa caffra) called the Cape Robin 

 or Jan Fredric. 



It is olive-brown above, the rump region and tail (excepl 

 the two centre feathers) being rufous; a white eyebrow; 

 -ides of face black : throat and chest and under tail coverts 

 bright rufous, the centre of abdomen whitish ; remainder of 

 under surface slate-grey. Length, 1\ indies. 



This bird is fairly generally distributed throughout South 

 Africa. It is of confiding habits, being fond of the neighbour- 

 hood of gardens and houses, where it is always on the search 

 for insects, [t has a pleasant song. The (ape Eobin builds 

 early in the Cape ; its eggs may be looked for from the end 

 of August : iii the Transvaal the best month is October. 

 Tin nest — cup-shaped, of roots and lined with hair — is 

 generally placed in a bush about IS inches to 3 feet from the 

 ground, on the side of a tree-trunk, or on a stump. The 



