The Oologists' Record, December i, 1921. 93 



where the Sliire Highlands begin and end nobody seems to know, 

 but all are agreed that the district immediately abQut Limbe 

 (4 miles from Blantyre) forms their highest point, actual mountains 

 apart. From Limbe the land falls more or less rapidly in all direc- 

 tions, north to the Lake, east to Lake Chilwa, and west and south to 

 the Shire. I may here name the principal mountains of the High- 

 lands, as I shall have to refer to them Liter. They are Mlanje, 

 Chiradzulu, Zomba, Cholo, Mikalongwe, Soche, Mpungwe, Mchiru, 

 and Ndirande. 



Seasons and rainfall are next to be considered. Lying between 

 10° and 17° south, and at no great distance from the Indian Ocean, 

 Nyasaland differs little in its seasons from the north-eastern parts 

 of the Union. Bearing in mind that the actual amount of rainfall 

 may vary from 100 inches at Mlanje to 20 mches in the Shire 

 Valley, one may say that there is a rainy season of six months 

 from November to April, and a dry season of which the months 

 from May to August are cool, and September and October hot. 

 The Shire Valley has very high summer temperatures, up to 120° 

 in the shade, and even in winter it is never really cold there, while 

 at Blantyre a summer heat of 90 is unusual, and fires are very 

 welcome in June and July, when the glass often goes down to 40°. 



Most birds breed during the rains, November to March being 

 the best months ; but many species begin to build long before any 

 rain falls, and others lay only in the dry season. There is observ- 

 able in August and September a distinct reflex of the southern 

 spring which manifests itself in the nesting of hawks and crows as 

 well as in the bursting into leaf of the deciduous native trees. But 

 the grass fires which annually sweep the country from August 

 onwards effectually prevent any general nesting until the first 

 rains extinguish them. 



Allowing for o\'erlapping, one may say that there are three 

 distinct types of bird fauna in the Protectorate, corresponding to 

 three different kinds of country. First there is the abundant life of 

 the Shire Valley, reminding one in its richness in species and indi\ i- 

 duals of the splendid avifauna of Uganda, and in its essence tropical. 

 Next we have the sparser bird-life of the Highlands, more suggestive 

 of South Africa, and distinctly disappointing on first acquaintance 

 to one whom other parts of Africa have led to expect much from 

 a new domain. Finally there are the very interesting birds confined 

 to the patches of primeval forest which crown the summits and fill 



