SAXICOLA BIFASCIATA, 241 
one: it was very fond of me, and was my companion in all my 
walks. These little animals have a peculiar bark, and produce 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 specimens. 
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 belongs to 
the place, feeling disgusted with his noise, went up to him, and 
gave him a smart peck, which sent him flymg!! We never shoot 
birds that take up their abode with us, so we see all their odd ways.” 
A nest sent by Mrs. Barber, taken from a hole in a Kraal, is a 
loose untidy structure of fine rootlets and hair. The eggs (four) are 
pale creamy-white rather profusely speckled, especially at the 
extreme obtuse end, with small elongated reddish-brown specks. 
Asis Ll?"s* Diam, 8'!*. 
Male.—Top of head dark —, mottled with black ; back and 
neck reddish-brown, mottled with black; rump clear yellowish- 
brown: the same colour prevails over the whole of the lower parts, 
except the throat, and a little way on the chest, where is a rich 
black patch extending to the head, and including the eye and ear; 
a yellowish-brown stripe passes from the nape of the neck on the 
one side, over the eyes and nostrils, to the nape of the neck on 
the other side ; tail and secondary wing-feathers black ; quill-feathers 
brown. Length, 7”; wing, 3” 6”; tail, 2” 6”. Irides black. 
Female—Wants the black markings, and is altogether less 
brilliant, the yellows being rufous, and the tail and wings dull- 
brown. 
The species may be told by its black wings and by having the 
feathers on the interscapulary region intermixed black and rufescent 
_ (Cf. Blanf. and Dresser, /. c. p. 217). 
Fig. Temm. Pl. Col. 472. 
