Migralorij Birds of the Buffalo River Basin. 9 



which is long after the date of his arrivaL Tlie Emerald 

 Cuckoo j)refers the thick bush, but is also found in some of 

 the kloofs : during the past season I heard it in the kloof 

 below Healdtown Institution. First records of the Didric 

 and of Klaas' CUickoo are also among the dates wanted for 

 the present season. 



Birds of Preii. 



Of our migratory Birds of Prey the species most easily 

 recognised is the Egy[)tian Kite (^Milviis(VQi/ptius). It can be 

 distinguished at a glance from all other local Birds of Prey 

 by it forked tail, which is evident when the tail is spread. 

 The wings also are of a distinct type, being long and sickle- 

 shaped. The Egyptian Kite arrived this year at Pirie on 

 September 23rd ; it occurs commonly along the base of the 

 mountains, and will remain with us until the latter half of 

 February. 



Amuch smaller Bird of Prey, Naumann's Kestrel {Ccrclineis 

 naumanni), is visiting us again this year, as the C*urator of 

 the Kingwilliauistown Museum informs me. Naumann's 

 Kestrel is much lighter in colour than our common resident 

 species, and its habit of associating in conipanies will lead 

 those who are observing our migrants to suspect its presence. 

 The birds haunt the veld during the day, catching grass- 

 hoppers and other insects on which they feed, and at dusk 

 they retire to the tall trees in Kingwilliamstown to roost. 

 As many as thirty birds may be found roosting together. 



A third Bird of Prey seems, from my observations, to bo 

 a summer visitor. This is the South African Harrier 

 (Circus raniro7'iis). But it may be that this Harrier is only 

 a local migrant, and that it does not retire very far from 

 our neighbourhood during the winter months. Durino- the 

 summer this bird is one of the most familiar objects of the 

 scenery in the open veld adjoining the mountains. It is 

 generally seen sitting on a termite heap or on the ground, 

 waiting the near approach of a horseman Ijcfore it moves. 

 Sometimes it sits on a mimosa bush, and lately one of 

 these birds allowed me to ride under the tree on which it 



