lUKl) L1F1-: IX NATAL. 3^^1.1 



of \atal. This is easily traceabU- to the increase t)f tree-plant - 

 inij and CDnnectiny^ up of the thorn country — their original 

 habitat — with the high lands b\- means of the extensive wattle 

 l)lantations. This increase of co\cr has also to do with the ap- 

 preciable increase of the red-necked bush ])artrid^es ( Plcnirstcs 

 iiiuiicollis ). 



Picjcons. — -Of late }ears there has been a rather notable dis- 

 appearance of the blue-rock pigeon (Coliiiiiba plucnota) ; whether 

 this is the consequence of a preference to the open country or to 

 some other cause, the writer is not prepared to say, but the fact 

 still remains that these birds, which at one time were in largt 

 flocks, are now rarely seen. On the other hand, at least three of 

 the other kinds f)f Ccilumbiche. notably the " black ])ig'eon '" 

 {Coluinba Arquairix) , has much increased of late years, as at 

 one time they were a rare bird locally, and essentially belonged 

 to the coast and the more wooded parts of the Colony. These 

 remarks also apply to the Senegal turtle-dove ( Turtur Sciic(/al- 

 ensis), the small coloured turtle-dove, Turtur Capicola. and the 

 beautiful little long-tailed dove, CEtia Capciisis. all of which were 

 at one time denizens of the warmer and more-wooded coast and 

 thorn country. 



Herons and Cranes. — The common heron (Ardca Cincrca), 

 has certainly become more plentiful since some of the U])-country 

 rivers have been stocked with trout, as formerly it was a very 

 uncommon l)ird in these parts. Its destructiveness to the voung 

 fish is well known. ( )nly a short time ago a gentleman told me 

 that on shooting one of these birds he took a number of small 

 trout from its crop. On the other hand, the Cjreat Wattled Crane 

 (BiKjrrcDiits Carnncnlaiiis), which at one time was quite a com- 

 mon bird, is now rarely seen : this is probably caused by swamps 

 being largely dried and drained f(^r agricultural purposes. A 

 similar scarcity is to be noted of the beautiful crowmed crane 

 {Balcarica Crcpopclargus), from pr(^bably the same reason. 



Rooks and Crows. — The lessening of the numbers of the 

 common rook {Hetcrocorax Capensis) is difficult to account for, 

 unless it be that some introduced i)lant or w^eed, of which there 

 are many, is fatal to them as food; this is. of course, only a con- 

 jecture. The white-necked raven (Corvultur Albicollis) has 

 almost, if not (juite, disap])eared, and in " Natal Bush Birds "' 

 (Woodward), this seems to be coincident with the rinderpest, in 

 which opinion I agree, this being a carrion-eating bird. .A.nd 

 there has certainly been a very marked lessening in the numbers 

 of the common vulture (Cyps Koibi) since the ])revalence of 

 East Coast Fever among cattle. 



Cape Starliiu/ {Spreo bicolor). — This bird, which is now to 

 be met with in thcjusands in the Midlands, at one time was 

 almost, if not entirely to be met with in the thorn country or it^ 

 environs. Originally 1 think it lived on ticks or kindred insects, 

 and it was not until cattle in the higher districts of Natal became 

 more numerous and tick-infected that this 1)ird tOf^lc U]) its bain- 



