142 Occasional Kotes. 



not seem very likely. Mr. W. L. Sclater has, however, in- 

 cluded the species in his Check-list of South African Birds, 

 on the sound strength of a pair collected by Dr. Stoehr at 

 Zumbo on the Zambesi. He also saw a pair in captivity in 

 Buluwayo^ which its owner stated had been caught near the 

 town. Rhodesian ornithologists might look out for the 

 occurrence of this species. 



(18) Mr. C. B. HoRSBRUGH (Pretoria) writes : — " Perhaps 

 the enclosed cutting from the ' Zoologist/ 1899, p. 80, might 

 be interestino- to S. African ornithologists. It would be 

 desirable to know if the nest was preserved. I might add 

 that I once found a curious nest constructed entirely of fine 

 wires taken from the wreaths in a cemetery. The builders 

 were a pair of Turtle Doves (^Turtur auritus), and the nest 

 was in the neighbourhood of Bath, England. I recorded the 

 occurrence in the ' Field ' some years ago. 



" ' Strange Nest of a South African Bush Shrike. — I 

 found a nest of the Pied Bush Shrike (Brach/ornis silens) 

 near the Fountains, Pretoria, Transvaal, on Nov. 6th, 1898. 

 The nest was about eight feet from the ground, in the fork 

 of the stem of a small thorn tree. It was built purely of 

 twine. I examined it carefully, but could not find any other 

 material used in its construction. The inside was lined with 

 small white feathers. It contained three eggs of a pale green 

 colour, splashed with red at the larger ends. — Alex. Ross 

 (Johannesburg, Transvaal).' 



" [Fountain Grove is a short distance from Pretoria, and 

 is a favourite resort. There is a hostelry there, many picnics 

 held, and many corks drawn. Hence the twine. — Ed.] " 



It may not perhaps be known to all our readers that the 

 Editor of the ' Zoologist ' at the date of this Note was 

 Mr. VV. L. Distant, who resided in the Transvaal for some 

 time about 1889, and published that ])leasant little book 

 ' A Naturalist in the Transvaal.-' Mr. Distant's residence 

 in Pretoria accounts for the knowledge of the convivial 

 character of " the Fountains/' as displayed in his Editorial 

 Note. 



