14 Mr. C. H. Taylor on Birds 



3. *CoRVUS CAPENSis. (Black Crow.) 



Occasionally observed. 



Not ijncomnion. Generally to be seen in small flocks of 

 from ten to twenty frequenting old mealie lands, where they 

 seem to obtain most of their food. 



5. *BuPHAaA ERYTHRORHYNCHA. (Red-billed Oxpecker.) 

 Only one flock of these "■ Tick birds '^ seen. They seem 

 to keep to one locality as long as there are cattle about. 

 I notice, however, that in this district they only visit them 

 in the early morning and in the evening, when they busily 

 pick off any ticks that are on them. This is not always the 

 case, as in the Koodoo Valley in the Zoutpansberg I have 

 seen them searching for food on oxen and donkeys in the 

 middle of the day. Towards the end of September this flock 

 had apparently broken up for nesting, as they were only to 

 be seen either singly or in pairs. They are very difficult 

 to frighten away from the oxen, flying from one animal to 

 another when disturbed. 



7. Amydrus morio. (Red-winged Starling.) 

 (a) $ . Indhlovudwalilie. 5.9.06. In stomach insects. 

 Common. A pair of these birds have roosted in the piping 

 round the house here for three years, nesting and bringing 

 out young ones ; as soon as these are old enough to take 

 care of themselves, the old ones take them away to the bush 

 and leave them there, returning themselves to their old 

 quarters. They are very restless at night, when they are 

 constantly running along the piping, uttering towards 

 morning a low chirping whistle. 



9. *Spreo BICOLOR. (Pied Starling.) 



Fairly common. On November 2nd J took a nest con- 

 taining five eggs out of a wall in a disused farmhouse in the 

 Amersfoort district. The nest was an untidy one composed 

 of grass and sticks, being lined with a few pieces of old 

 sacking and sheep's wooL The eggs were of the usual type, 

 being bright pale blue without spots: 



Maximum length 30' 1 mm. ; minimum length 28"7 mm. 



Maximum breadth 22*2 mm. ; minimum breadth 21*1 mm. 



