18 On tie Birds of PhiVqjdoicn. 



The Spotted Flycatcher {Musicapa grisola) was recorded 

 only once, and the Pririt Flycatcher {Pachyprora pririt) 

 twice or three times. 



The following list completes the record of birds seen in 

 the District. There is nothing of particular interest to add 

 concerning them : — 



Masked Weaver {Hyphantornis velatus), Red Bishop-bird 

 {Pyromelana oryx\ Red-headed Weaver-Finch (A)nadina 

 erythrocephala), Pin-tailed Widow-bird ( Vidua principalis), 

 all common ; Scaly-feathered Weaver-bird (Sporopipes squa- 

 mifrons) , rather rare ; Common Bunting (^Fr'ingillaria capensis) 

 and Lark-Bunting {F. impetiiani), common; White-throated 

 Seed-eater [Serimis alhignlaris), Lesser Seed-eater [S. mar- 

 sJialli), and Mountain Canary (Alario alario), common. 

 (Li regard to the last-named bird I notice that the latest 

 check-list issued by the South African Museum contains a 

 new subspecies of Mountain Canary called Alario alario 

 leucokema. This is evidently an error. The male Mountain 

 Canary, when it becomes old, assumes white eyebrows and 

 patches of white on the cheeks and throat, and an aged bird 

 has doubtless incorrectly been assumed to belong to a dis- 

 tinct subspecies.) Common Waxbill {Estrilda astrild), 

 rather rare ; Malachite Sun-bird (Nectarinia famosa), rare; 

 Wliite-vented Sun-bird (Cinnyris fuscus), common; Cape 

 Robin [Cossyplia cafixi) and Cape Griound-Robin {Erythro- 

 pygia coryphceus) , common. (The latter is a watchful in- 

 quisitive bird, and is generally the first to detect the presence 

 of a bnake, a polecat, or other vermin.) Black-breasted Tit 

 (Parus afer), C/ape Penduline Tit {JEgitlialus capensis), Red- 

 vented Tit- Babbler [Parisoma suhc(jeruleum), Layard's Tit- 

 Babbler (P. layardi), Pale White-eye {Zosterops pallida), 

 Crombec {Syloiella rufescens), Rufous -eared Wren- Warbler 

 {S/jiloptilaocularia), Cape Wren- Warbler {Prinia maculosa), 

 Yellow-bellied Bush-Warbler {Eremomela flaviventris) , and 

 Fairy Warbler {Apalis scita), all common. The Green- 

 backed Bush- Warbler (C/i/o/"0(/yto icteropygicdis) is somewhat 

 rare ; it is generally seen in small parties. Its call, to my 

 mind, closely resembles that of the Cardinal Woodpecker 

 [Dendropicus cavdinaJis) . 



