PYCNONOTUS TRICOLOR. 209 
Windvogelberg, and according to our correspondent, Mr. Rickard, 
it is common at Hast London. To Lieut. H. Trevelyan we are 
indebted for a very interesting young bird from King William’s Town, 
which we have referred to above. Mr. Moffat forwarded us a 
specimen from Kuruman, and Mr. Ortlepp informs us that it is 
plentiful near Colesberg, where it does great damage to ripe fruit, 
and especially figs. Captain Shelley found it very common about 
Durban and Pinetown, and a note on the species in Natal, by Mr. 
Ayres, is given below. Mr. H. C. Buxton also tells us that when 
in the last-named colony he procured it on the Mooi River. Mr. 
Ayres has collected specimens in the Transvaal and here also Mr. 
Buckley found it “common throughout the country.” It was in 
Dr. Exton’s Kanye collections, and also in Mr. F. A. Barratt’s from 
the Lydenberg district. Dr. Kirk says that it is one of the com- 
monest birds in the Zambesi country, and is “a good songster, 
though not equal to Orateropus kirkii.’ Mr. Andersson procured 
two specimens in South Western Africa, one at Ovvaquenyama in 
Damara Land, and the other at Ondonga, which may be referred to 
this species, and Anchieta has sent it from Humbe on the Rio 
Cunene, and from Capangombe in’ Mossamedes, as well as from 
several localities in Angola, whence the bird was first described by 
Dr. Hartlaub. It certainly ranges as high as the Congo on the 
western side, and as far as Mombas on the eastern coast. 
Mr. Ayres observes :—‘‘ These birds live entirely on fruits and 
berries, and are very destructive in our garden, devouring indis- 
criminately bananas, loquats, peaches, papaws, Cape gooseberries, 
and all other soft fruits. They are very numerous; they build 
generally in a fork of a tree, towards the top, and lay from three to 
five eggs. These birds often get intoxicated by eating fruit that is 
over-ripe and has undergone fermentation, more especially the Cape 
gooseberry ; and when in this drunken state are easily caught, as 
they can fly but a few yards at a time, and then not straight, soon 
tumbling to the ground. The berries of the Syringa trees have the 
same effect on them, as also the fruit of the Banyan fig. Other 
birds that live on these fruits become intoxicated in the same way. 
Tf a hawk, or other bird of ‘prey, makes its appearance, these 
Bulbuls begin to chatter at a furious rate; and if he settle, a lot of 
them will frequently mob him; but the hawk, I have observed, takes 
no notice of them.” 
