Egg-Colledlng in the Busliveld. 43 



African Reed-Warbler (^Acrocephalus hivticatus), — A pair 

 or two of this migratory species breed every year in the bed 

 of reeds in the pan. 



Tawny-flanked Wren-Warbler (^Prinia mystacea). — A nest 

 with three eggs was found on the 2nd December in a small 

 tree amongst the rocks on the border of the pan. As has 

 been my experit^nce in numerous cases of other birds, I was 

 not aware of the presence of this species at the pan until 

 finding the nest ; I waited to see one of the parents, and as 

 expected, found it to be of this species, both parents coming 

 quite close to me as I watched. Tlie nest was compactly 

 woven with green grass to the leaves of a neat little thorn- 

 less tree, and the interstices of the nest were filled in with 

 soft fluffy material. The four eggs are greenish blue, 

 marked with large spots of thin purplish slate, brownish red, 

 and dark brown, with thin wavy lines of different shades of 

 brown round the thicker end; they measure 15'8-16'4:X 

 11'5 mm. Eggs taken on the streams near Pretoria were 

 almost always of a pinkish colour, with markings of a darker 

 pink. 



Black-chested Wren- Warbler (^Piinia flavicans) . — Quite a 

 number of nests were discovered in small thorn-bushes in 

 more open parts near the pan, and they contained fresh eggs- 

 about the first part of December : eggs may, however, be 

 found several months later in some cases. The nests are 

 made of strips of green grass woven to the tangled thorn 

 branches of the bushes in which they are mostusuallysituated, 

 but by the time the eggs are laid the grass has turned to a 

 reddish yellow which shows up against the green leaves, 

 though partly hidden by them. Eggs are marked with 

 rather larger blotches than those of the preceding species, 

 though they vary considerably ; they are also of about the 

 same size. 



Fleck's C'roinbek {S>jlvietta fiecki). — More often than not 

 one overlooks this bird, unless it be the breedino-season, 

 when they may be heard calling ; but even then the birds 

 require to be carefully lookeil for to be seen. I may safely 



