THE JOURNAL 



OF THE 



SOOTH AFRICAN ORNITHOLOGISTS' DNION. 



Vol. XI. DECEMBER 1915. No. 1. 



I- — The Birds of Philipstown, Cape Province, loith Notes 

 on their Habits. By H. Leighton Hare. 



Looking back on a stay of close upon two years at Philips- 

 town, C.P., I cannot help recalling the, reniai k of a friend 

 who had travelled through that part of the country, in regard 

 to the possibilities of the district from an ornithologist's 

 point of view. His opinion was summed up in the remark, 

 " Well, it looks as if it might support an odd koester (lark) 

 or two ! " 



That my friend was unduly pessimistic, and that the 

 district offers quite a fair scope to the collector, I shall 

 endeavour to show iti the following promiscuous notes on 

 the birds observed there. In compiling these notes I have 

 not attempted to follow any fixed order of classification, but 

 I am hopeful that they will, nevertheless, prove to be of 

 some small interest. 



Commencing with the Eagles — only three species were 

 identified with certainty, namely, the Martial Hawk-Eagle 

 {Eutohncetus hellicoms), the Black-breasted Harrier-Eagle 

 {Circaetus pectoralis), and the Tawny Eagle {Aguila rapax). 

 The first-named is fairly frequently seen. It is destructive 

 to young springbucks, but does not despise such small game 

 as ground-squirrel (" Waaierstert meerkat "). The Tawny 

 Eagle, I believe, breeds in the district. One of a pair of 



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