70 Short yolices of Onniholotjuxd PiihlicrJiomt. 



4. DuiUNG last inontli sportsmen friends of mine, who can 

 be relied upon, told me th(\v saw Quail in fair numbers at 

 Aliwal North, that six were shot in the JStutterheim district, 

 and a i>;ood few at the Chalumna IJiver mouth near here — 

 all during last month. 



Melanism seems of such frequent oeeurrence amongst the 

 Quail down this way that it is becoming the practice to speak 

 of the " black" as distinct from the common species. 



The large Locust Bird seems to have left a good detach- 

 ment behind this season. Over and above a few specimens 

 here and there throughout Kaflraria last month, no less than 

 <S0 were rejjorted from Debe Nek a few weeks ago. The 

 ('ommon Curlew is also on our tidal rivers just now — but 

 only a few. 



The Speckled, or Hock, Pigeon has invaded oiu* coast bush 

 in its tens of thousands this season: said to Ije due to severe 

 cold in our near Ijack country and also owing to abundance 

 of berries consequent upon late rains. Jnu. Wood. 



Eai^t London, 

 4. 7. 11. 



IX. — Short Notices of Ontifholof/lcal ri(l>Hr((tioin^. 



]. 'I'lie Ihl.^, duly I'.tll, October 11)11, an.l January li)12. 



The July number contains Tart 2 of IMr. W. L. Sclater's 

 account of the birds collected by Mr. ("laude Grant during 

 Iiis " Kudd " Zoological Survey of South Africa. 



A new species of Stonechat is described under the name 

 of Pratincola tonjuata orienlalis, from the Eastern ( -ape 

 Colonv, Transvaal, &c., also a new race of C<)s.'<i//>h(i eafra, 

 (•;ill<'d ii(tin(t(/in'ii,<is, from K lipfoiitcin in Nania(|ii;ilaiid. 

 This bird was given the local name of " (ieelgat."" 1 have 

 never in all mv journeyings in South AlVica — north, south, 

 east, or west — heard this inajipiopiiatc name apiiHcd to (ho 

 Kobin (hat. It is a common Jjoer nam<' f((r the lilack- 

 cajiped Bulbul {Pi/rnonofns hii/nn/i). 



Mr. (j. L. Bates gives us a long a( ('(Mini on the liirds of 



