from till' Amsterdam District. 29 



514. Baza verreauxi. (Cuckoo Falcon.) 



(a) ? . 26.8.0G. Indhloviidwalilie. Bill black ; feet dull 

 yellow ; claws black. In stomach chameleons, lizards, and 

 lai'ge insects. 



Seen on two occasions, one specimen obtained. 



I do not think this rare Hawk is nearly so shy as has been 

 represented. The first time I met with it was at Lonw's 

 Creek in the Barberton district, where I walked right 

 underneath the large tree on which it was perched without 

 alarming it ; on my moving about in the thick undergrowth 

 it flew out, but only went as far as the next tree, where I 

 shot it. 



Two o£ these Hawks were frequenting the trees around 

 the buildings on the Tzaneen Estate in the Zoutpansberg, 

 where there were plenty of Kaffirs about ; they allowed me 

 to approach them across an open piece of ploughed land and 

 shoot one, after which the other bird, flying from tree to 

 tree, made off. 



In this district I came suddenly upon one seated on the 

 top of a tree-fern within a few yards of me ; although it 

 must have seen me it did not fly away, and actually allowed 

 me to change the cartridges in my gun before taking flight, 

 when it was shot. On another occasion one flew into a thick 

 tree out in the open by a disused farmhouse; here I approached 

 the tree, and after walking round it without seeing the Hawk, 

 threw a stone into the tree, when the bird flew out on the 

 other side and got away. I have no doubt that they seek 

 protection amongst the thick foliage of trees, but they are 

 not entirely confined to the bush, as I have on several occa- 

 sions found them out in the open, when they do not appear 

 to be particularly shy. These birds have a curious musk-like 

 smell, which I have noticed on more than one occasion. 



518. Aquila wahlbergi. (Wahlberg's Eagle.) 



(a) (^ . 20.10.06. Swazieland. In stomach three lizards. 



In October 1906 a pair of these birds were nesting in a 



high tree overhanging the Com pise river. The nest was a 



large one some two feet in diameter, and was built of sticks 



