174 Major R. Sparrow on Birds 



another taking up the performance. They never accom- 

 plished a complete turn such as Ostrich chicks ultimately 

 succeed in doing, but still the instinct seemed much the 

 same, though far less developed. No one who has tried to 

 catch domestic poultry can doubt the utility of the twisting 

 and turning actions in enabling the adult to escape. 



XIII. — Notes on the Birds observed during a Shooting-trip in 

 Portuguese East Africa. By Richard Sparrow, M.B.O.U., 

 Major 7th Dragoon Guards. 



In May 1904, Mr. H. P. Smith, of Highlands, Natal, and I 

 went for a two months' trip in Portuguese East Africa. We 

 left the railway at Inkomati Station, and trekked almost due 

 north until we reached the Singuedsi River, between the 

 Olifants River and the Limpopo. We kept parallel to the 

 Lebombo Mountains and from six to ten miles to the east of 

 them : we returned by the same route. 



The country traversed was almost all " thorn "" country 

 except the banks of the big rivers, and I imagine it is almost 

 identical with the Transvaal " bush-veld." Water was scarce 

 everywhere except in the two or three rivers we crossed, 

 which were very low ; in consequence of this I saw hardly 

 any water-frequenting birds. 



Bird-life, on the whole, was plentiful, but I had little time 

 for procuring specimens ; I believe a keen collector would 

 take a fine series of eggs if he visited the country between 

 the Inkomati and the Crocodile in October and November. 

 The following notes only enumerate a portion of the birds 

 seen, more particularly the species I had not previously 

 noticed in the 0. R. C, Upper Natal, or the vicinity of 

 Durban, and are by no means exhaustive. As all the 

 Weavers and Finches were in winter plumage, I was unable 

 to identify many of them without shooting specimens. 



1. Lamprocolius australis. BurchelFs Glossy Star- 

 ling. - .' 



A few seen near Maplangwane on May 30th, 1904. 



