THE JOURNAL 



OF THE 



SOUTH AFRICAN ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION. 



Vol. IX. JULY 1913. No. 1. 



I. — Egg-CoUeding in the Busliveld. By Austin Roberts. 



There is, perhaps, no renion in South Africa which has such 

 a blend of charm and difficulties for the egu-collector as that 

 of the busliveld. To be successful there one must be prepared 

 to face an intense heat, seldom relieved by a breeze of any 

 sort unless it be a hurricane precursor to heavy showers, and 

 absence of water to relieve the heat, the persistent attention 

 of flies, and innumerable diflficulties in the way of actual 

 collecting. Against these drawbacks is set the novelty of the 

 wildness of the region, together with which there is a great 

 variety of birds which have been very little studied, by very 

 reason of the difficulties mentioned. To my mind there is 

 also a charm in the sporting chance of finding nests, for the 

 nature of the trees is such that when starting one would 

 antici[)ate little difficulty in locating nests ; but it soon 

 becomes apparent that, with the lack of dense concealiutr 

 foliage, the birds have learnt to more cleverly construct their 

 nests and watch for intruders. During the early summer 

 months the busliveld is very dry, and it is then most trying 

 to collect there ; but as many species breed before the rains 

 set in, the inconvenience must be faced. If the excursion 

 is so fortunate as to fall during the first heavy rains, the 

 experience well repays all previous trials. Such was my 

 good fortune during a trip to Platriver on the 17th November, 

 VOL. IX. 1 



