LAMPROTOUXIS MELANOGASTER 83 



a native of Senegal as supposed by Hartlaul:) when he entered 

 it in his " Orn. ^Y. Afr.," in 18;j7. 



Stark writes : " This species is not very conjnion in the 

 Eastern Cape Colony, but is resident, breeding both in the 

 neighbourhood of Graharustown and Kingwilliamstown. In 

 Natal and Zululand it is fairly abundant and resident, as 

 in the Eastern Transvaal, This Glossy Starling is much 

 shyer and more retired in its habits than its congeners, and 

 confines itself very much to the thicker portions of the coast 

 bush, rarely ventiiring into the more open country. Its 

 pai'ticularly loud and harsh notes are frequently heard when 

 the bird itself is invisiljle. When not In-eeding these Starlings 

 are nearly always in small flocks that hunt through the bushes 

 in search of berries and fruit, in addition to various seeds 

 and insects. Like most birds they seem to be particularly 

 fond of termites. In spring they separate in pairs, and 

 proceed to look for a convenient nest-hole in the trunk or 

 limb of a tree, frequently taking possession of the old nesting- 

 place of a Barbet. Into this they carry a few small sticks, 

 pieces of straw and dry grass, and a nuich larger quantity 

 of hair, wool and feathers. About the end of September, in 

 Natal, three or four eggs are laid, of a pale blue-green, spotted 

 sparingly with pale reddish brown. They are somewhat 

 elongated in shape, and measure about I'Oo x O'To." 



Mr. E. H. Ivy writes from Grahamstown : " This bird is 

 not common here, and though I have seen several clutches of 

 eggs, I myself have onlj- once found the nest, which was 

 placed in a hole in a tree situated in a deep kloof ; the eggs, 

 two in number, were of a light sky-blue, peculiarly roughened 

 and quite unspotted." 



Major Sparrow also writes : " This bird nests on the Coast 

 of Natal in the early part of November, and lays three pale 

 blue-green unspotted eggs." 



