LUSCINID^. 105 



as follows : Saxicola Spedabilis — d , 9 • These birds are dwellers 

 amongst rocks, and frequent rocky mountains and liills, old stone- 

 kraals, &c. They build their nest under shelving rocks, near or upon 

 the ground, and sheltered by spreading ferns or long grass ; and their 

 eggs are usually three in number. The c5 is fond of placing himself 

 on some high projecting rock, and of making himself conspicuous by 

 chirping away in a cheerful voice, either to annoy a rival or amuse his 

 mate : he is also fond of opening and shutting his wings, " bowing 

 and scraping," &c., and I have no doubt "thinks no end of himself" 

 The Q is a very quiet, retiring little body. These birds (the (5 's) 

 possess the power of mocking other birds and animals. When we 

 were living in the district of Graaff-Eeinet, I had a beautiful spotted 

 Merecat, a tame one : it was very fond of me, and was my companion 

 in all my walks. These little animals have a peculiar bark, and pro- 

 duce a great variety of sounds with their pretty little voices : and these 

 mocking-birds would imitate all the sounds that my pet made very 

 accurately. I have also heard them mocking robins and sugar-birds, 

 but they seldom use this power. We will get you some more speci- 

 mens. I was surprised to hear that they were new — very much so, 

 for they are common all over the Eastern Province, excepting near 

 the coast. They prefer high situations. There are always five or six 

 of them here : they sit upon the garden wall and upon the top of our 

 house. A few days ago there was one sitting upon the gable-end of 

 our stable, making a terrible row : a quiet old rock-thrush that be- 

 longs to the place, feehng disgusted with his noise, went up to him 

 and gave him a smart peck, which sent him flying ! ! We never 

 shoot birds that take up their abode with us, so we see all their odd 

 ways." 



194. Saxicola Cinerea. (Vieii.) Smith, ZooL s. 



A. ; Le Traquet Tractac, LeVail, PJ. 184 ; S. Levail- 

 lantii, Smith. 



General colour, ashy grey ; lighter on the lower part of 

 the back, and becoming quite white on the rump ; breast 

 and throat grey ; rest of the under side white ; tail with a 

 white patch, which extends from near the point of the out- 

 side feather, across each of the others, to the base of the 

 centre feathers, in the shape of a triangle ; some of the 

 wing-feathers are bordered with white ; iris black. Length, 

 about b" ; wing, a" ^'"' ; tail, 2" 10'". 



Le Vaillant found this wheat-ear in the province of Outeniqua, 

 perching on bushes, always on the move from one to another, and very 

 wary. In flying they expanded the tail, exposing the white mark ; 

 they also had the habit of opening and closing the wing, so peculiar 

 to the wheat-ears. 



They build at the foot of bushes on the ground. The female lays four 

 bluish-green eggs, minutely speckled with brown, the specks sometimes 

 forming a ring at the obtuse end : axis, 11'"; diam., 8'". I found 

 them abundantly at Nel's Poort, nesting in November. Jlr. Atmore 

 writes of them as follows: — "Blanco, Sept. 10th, 1864. The rock- 



