72 Major J. S. Hamilton on Birds observed 



43. iEoiALiTis TRicoLLARis (VieilL). Three - banded 

 Plover. 



a. ? . 19 March. Grambo's, Manzamnyama River. 



44. Pavoncella pugnax (Linn.). Ruff. 



a. $ . 19 March. Gambo's, Manzamnyama River. 



X. — Notes upon some South African Birds observed during a 

 Journey through Portuguese Nyassaland [July and August 

 1908). By Major J. Stevenson Hamilton, Warden Tvl. 

 Game Reserve. 



The route lay between the 12th and 14th parallels of south 

 latitude, and from about the 40th to the 30th parallel of ea&t 

 longitude. 



Twenty-five miles from the coast or thereabouts the country 

 rose rapidly in altitude, and remained at an approximate 

 average height of 1500 feet until the foot of the Nyassa hills 

 was reached. The middle country thus included consisted 

 without exception of rolling terrain, intersected by occasional 

 ranges of hills, dotted with granite outcrops, and covered with 

 an unvarying garment of dense, thornless, and largely un- 

 deciduous dwarf forest. The climate at this season was cool 

 and equable, the air being exceptionally dry and fresh for a 

 tropical zone of that altitude. 



Water, on the whole, was not abundant, but was very much 

 more so than is the case in the Eastern Low Country of the 

 Transvaal. Owing to the exigencies of the journey, it was 

 quite out of the question to make any extensive observation 

 of birds and none at all of mammals, although indications 

 were not wanting of rich possibilities in both fields. There 

 was neither time nor opportunity for the preservation of 

 skins ; and even the little collecting and classifying work it 

 was possible to do was conducted under considerable difficul- 

 ties. The results of the latter I append. 



Bird life, upon the whole, did not differ to any great 

 extent to that met with in the Transvaal Low Country, and 



