CHERA PROGNE. 459 
journey through Queenstown, Alliwal North, Basuto Land, Orange 
Free State, through the Transvaal, Potchefstroom, Pretoria, Lyden- 
burg, up to the Goldfields, near the Drakensberg Mountains, and at 
Rustenberg. Its favourite resorts are swampy ground, vleys, and 
the lone reeds about ponds. After a sharp shower of rain, or in 
a strong wind, they are scarcely able to fly, and can easily be 
knocked down; when flying they very gracefully arch the tail. 
They leave their nuptial district in the Transvaal about the end of 
April or the beginning of May.” 
It extends to South-western Africa, having been obtained at 
Caconda in Benguela by Senor Anchieta. 
We are informed that in the breeding season, when the male has 
assumed. his nuptial livery and long tail-feathers, his flight is so 
laboured that the children constantly run them down. They are 
quite unable to fly against the wind, and in rainy weather can hardly 
be got to move out of the thick bushes in which, knowing their help- 
lessness, they conceal themselves. The Kafir children stretch bird- 
limed lines across the fields of millet and Kafir corn, and snare great 
numbers of the males by their tales becoming entangled in the lines. 
Weare told that they breed among rushes and reeds, like Pyromelana 
orya. 
Mr. Henry Bowker writes :—“ This bird seldom interferes with 
our corn-lands, and is mostly found on the open flats: it builds its 
nest in long grass close to the ground, and the points of the grasses 
are drawn over and tied together at the top like the framework of a 
native hut. The tail of the male in the breeding season is not an 
inconvenience to him. He never, in fact, seems to enjoy himself so 
much as during a high wind, in which he shows off to advantage, 
spreading his tail out like a fan. I should say the average is ten or 
fifteen females to one male.” 
The following observations are from the author’s note-book :— 
“Riding once between Table Farm and Grahamstown with Dr, 
Atherstone, I saw what I took to be a black silk neckerchief drifting 
down to us in the strong wind from a house on a hill some 300 
yards from our road. I called the attention of my companion to it, 
when, with a laugh, he told me it was a male Kafir fink. The 
deception was complete! as he came near, I saw he was drifting at 
a prodigious rate; his wings flapping round and round like mill 
sails, and his tail spread in a compact mass. He appeared quite 
