248



Captain Bernard E. Potter,



resounded occasionally as I rode on my way through the dense forest.

One day at last, the laugher, more curious than the other members

of his family, stopped on his branch to see me pass in close proximity,

thus giving away his secret. I then saw a big brown bird with a red

breast like our robin and with glistering intelligent black eyes, and

our acquaintance was made.


On my way back from the river I walked through the principal

streets of Oudtshoorn. The gardens near the houses there were

planted with a number of wild fig trees, which were full of fruit.

Feeding on the small figs were great numbers of greyish starlings

with black wings. They were wattled starlings (Diloplms caruncu-

latus) and the flock consisted of old birds with their broods. Some

of the young birds were still being fed by the parents.


After a good long look at the starlings I went to my hotel and

had a very bad dinner in a very chilly room. And if some members

of the “Avicultural Magazine” should be curious to know how I can

remember that the dinner was bad on that special day, I can only

answer that my experience of South African dinners is that they are

alicays bad, so that I cannot easily make a mistake. As to the

chilly room I can vouch that it was so, although in Africa !



BIRDS IN MACEDONIA


By Captain Bernard E. Potter.


In this sunny land, where a sample of the best English June

weather replaces the cold and snow we have read of in the home

letters, birds, animal and vegetable life is full of wonder for the

naturalist.


In bird life one is delighted to find a chance of studying the

birds of prey, and one regrets exceedingly one’s ignorance of them,

because observation at home of many of these same species is

denied owing to the terrible destruction by gamekeepers and pot¬

hunters. Therefore I feel there is some excuse if these cannot be

named in many instances.


In the villages close by, of Aivatli and Baldza, tame kestrels

make themselves at home and dispute possession with the ubiquitous



