and ohserved around Hanover, Cape Colony. 19 



marked with an asterisk are unrepresented. The references 

 are to the first three volumes of Stark and Sclater's ' Birds of 

 South Africa" and to Sharpens edition of Layai'd's ' Birds of 

 South Africa.' — W. L. Sclater.] 



1. CoRVULTUR ALBICOLLIS. (White-necked Raven.) 

 (Stark, vol. i. p. 10.) 



Rare : only once seen while at Hanover. 



2. CoRVUS scAPULATUS. (Pied Crow.) 

 (Stark, vol. i. p. 12.) 



(Jommon : nesting on the kopjes around Hanover ; shy 

 and difficult to approach ; generally going about in pairs, 

 occasionally in flocks of about six. 



3. Amydrus caffer. (Pale- winged Starling.) 

 (Stark, vol. i. p. 28.) 



Not very plentiful around Hanover, going about in pairs. 

 The pale wings of this bird are very conspicuous in flight, 

 which easily distinguishes it from A. morio (Red-winged 

 Starling), which it resembles in habits. 



4. Spreo bicolor. (Pied Starling.) 

 (Stark, vol. i. p. W.) 



One of the most })lentiful birds in the district. They are 

 great scavengers here, feeding to a large extent amongst 

 refuse and often collecting and flying about in big flocks. 



5. Hyphantornis velatus. (Masked Weaver Bird.) 

 (Stark, vol. i. p. 58.) 



Very plentiful, gregarious. When I was at Hanover this 

 species was in winter plumage ; a few were just beginning 

 to change when I left at the end of September. The male 

 could always, when shot, be distinguished from the female 

 by the red iris, which in the female is hazel. Stark describes 

 the iris of the male as turning brown in the winter, but this 

 evidently does not happen here. //. velatus mariquensis, 

 which occurs near Pretoria, is a smaller bird, and the iris of 

 the male there is [)inkish straw-colour. 



2* 



