front the Amsterdam District. 13 



densely wooded and offer all attractions to bush-lovino- birds; 

 the waters of tins large stream attract many aquatic and 

 similar species which frequent the vicinity of localities where 

 congenial food can be found. 



Some of the birds mentioned in my notes have doubtless 

 followed up the river-course from the more tropical parts of 

 Swazieland. 



This list is based on a collection of 101 skins made during 

 the four winter months (from June until the middle of 

 October) and is in no way intended to be a com})lete list of 

 the birds of this district. 



My thanks are due to Mr. J. A. S. Bucknill for having 

 revised the following notes, and for looking through my 

 collection and verifying the names; and also to Dr. Gunning, 

 who gave me every assistance in identifying dubious 

 specimens. 



Species prefixed by an asterisk are not represented in the 

 collection. 



1. CoRVUS ALBicoLLis. (White -necked Raven.) 

 Fairly common. These birds are a great nuisance to the 

 sheep- farmer and are very destructive to lambs and sickly 

 sheep, especially during the lambing-season. On several 

 occasions on the farm Indhlovudwalilie I have known them 

 to kill lambs. The eyes are first picked out, and then when 

 the animal opens its mouth to bleat the tongue is torn out 

 by the roots, the beak of the bird being inserted at the side 

 of the animal's mouth. 



The damage done by these birds as well as Gyps kolhii 

 (Kolbe's Vulture) does not seem to be generally recognised. 

 Farmers in this district and also in the Amersfoort district 

 have now resorted to the practice of putting poisons in the 

 carcases of animals and sheep and kill numbers of Vultures 

 in this way. I lately came across the dead body of a 

 Secretary Bird close to one of these poisoned carcasses, but 

 whether it had died from poison or from natural causes I 

 cannot say, but it appeared to be quite heahhy and in good 

 condition. 



