ij(l Mr. F. Thomson on 



Mangula, Gazalancl. It was on a grassy plain wliich in 

 snnnner would have boen under water. The hirds had 

 carefully removed all the grass, and the eggs (21 in number) 

 were on the bare sandy soil ; hardly so much as a depression 

 had been formed to receive them. The nest had been visited 

 on several occasions, the 9th, 10th, and 11th August, between 

 the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., and on each occasion the 

 cock bird was on the nest. The nest was discovered by 

 Mr. Brockhuizen very nearly riding over the male, which he 

 thought had scattered the eggs on starting up, but on the 

 following day the cock bird was again on the nest, and the 

 eggs were not all in it. Mr. Brockhuizen put them all in. 

 On the 11th I saw the nest. The cock allowed us to get 

 within 30 or 40 yards. Nineteen eggs were in the nest and 

 two just outside ; the latter were quite cold, and I took 

 them. They were addled. Most of the eggs were blood- 

 stained. 



[It is greatly to be regretted that Dr. Turner was unable 

 to take with him a taxidermist, as he shot and observed many 

 species wdiich he was not able to determine or to preserve. 

 His own time and that of his Dutch hunter was very fully 

 occupied in shooting for his party and in looking after his 

 boats, but it is hoped that now it has been shown that com- 

 ])arativ('ly an easy river-trip can be taken through these 

 interesting parts, others will follow Dr. Turner's example 

 and make a survey on their route of the many rare species 

 which are probably to be met with. — Edd.] 



VII. — Locust JJirds in the Transvaal. By F. Thojisen, 

 Assistant Chief Locust Officer, Division of Entomology, 

 Transvaal Department of Agriculture. 



My duties as Assistant Chief Locust Officer take me over 

 most of the Transvaal. Everything in connection with locust- 

 destruction is carefully noted, and birds especially are a 

 subject of much study. All our District Locust Oificers 



