548 ; BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
upper part of breast and sides of body rich orange-rufous, deep- 
ening into rust-colour on the pectoral band. 
Fig. Le Vaill. Ois. d’Afr. pl. 160. 
335. Batis MOLITOR. White-flanked Flycatcher. 
Plate X., fig. 1. 
Platysteira strepitans, Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 144. 
This is the bird generally called B. pririt or B. strepitans, by 
ornithologists, but, as shown by the Editor in an article on the 
genus (Ibis, 1873, pp. 156-177) the true B. pririt is the next species. 
The males of both are very much alike, those of B. molitor being 
slightly larger, but we cannot discover any difference in coloration : 
the females, however, are very distinct, as will be seen by the 
figures in the accompanying plate. : 
It seems to be a more eastern bird than B. pririt. We have 
received it from Eland’s Post from Mr. T. C. Atmore, and it is 
found sparingly about Grahamstown. Mr. Thomas Ayres writing 
from Natal, says:— These Flycatchers frequent the dense bush. 
Their flight is weak. They are restless in their habits, constantly 
flitting and hopping about in search of small slow-flying soft insects, 
which they take on the wing. Their note is harsh and grating to 
the ear ; more than two are seldom seen together. They are found 
here all the year round.” Captain Shelley writes :—“ Plentiful 
about Durban and Pinetown, usually frequenting the thick bush, 
but not uncommonly taking up their position in the small scattered 
trees, like true Flycatchers.” 
Mr. T. E. Buckley states that it was a common species from the 
Transvaal up to the Matabili country, and it extends to the Zambesi, 
haying been collected by Dr. Kirk at Tete and Shupanga. In 
Damara Land Mr. Andersson has obtained it at Elephant Vley and 
at Ovaquenyama. Prof. Barboza du Bocage also identifies a speci- 
men obtained at Humbe by Senor Anchieta as belonging to the 
present species. 
Adult male.—Above dull bluish grey, the nape whitish, and the 
rump also mottled with white; a narrow line from the base of the 
bill over the eye, running as far as the hinder part of the eye, but 
not joining the nape, white; lores, feathers above and below the 
eye, ear-coverts, and sides of the upper neck deep black, extending 
down the back to the limit of the nuchal spot; wing-coverts and ~ 
ita 
