.EG1THALUS CAPENSIS. 247 



Adult. Forehead black with broad white edges to the feathers ; crown 

 and back of neck ashy brown ; back yellow shaded ashy brown, more yellow 

 on the lower back and upper tail-coverts ; wing and tail brown with paler 

 edges to the feathers which incline to ashy white on the primaries ; sides of 

 head, chin, and upper throat white ; remainder of throat, breast and under 

 tail-coverts pale yellow ; thighs and under wing-coverts and inner margins of 

 quills buffy white. Bill slaty blue ; iris dark brown ; tarsi and feet bluish 

 ash. Total length 3-5 inches, culmen 035, wing 2, tail 1-6, tarsus 0-55. 

 Eustenburg, 8. 6. 78 (W. Lucas). 



Adults of both sexes and young birds are similar in plumage. 



The Cape Penduline Tit inhabits South Africa south of the 

 Cunene and Limpopo rivers. 



Dr. Fleck found the species abundant throughout German 

 South-west Africa to as far north as the Okavango river, which 

 discharges its water into Lake Ngami. There are seven 

 adults and one nestling of Andersson's collecting in the British 

 Museum, showing no variation in the plumages. In Cape 

 Colony they are called by the Dutch " Cappoc Vogel," which 

 means Cotton Birds, on account of their peculiarly constructed 

 nest, formed of wool woven into a structure like felt. Stark 

 informs us that they are to be met with in pairs or small 

 family parties, and are abundant among the scrub on the sandy 

 west coast of Cape Colony, and equally common among the 

 low bushes and mimosas of the Karroo, but he never met with 

 them in the forest districts. " It is an active little bird, 

 constantly in motion, climbing over and carefully examining the 

 twigs and leaves of bushes for small insects and their eggs. 

 Its ordinary call-note is a weak and almost inaudible ' chirp,' 

 but occasionally as it takes wing it utters a sharper cry. Its 

 flight is weak and seldom protracted for any great distance, 

 but usually only from bush to bush. If one of the party flies 

 off it is followed by the others in a regular string. Towards 

 the end of August, in Cape Colony, these Tits separate in 

 pairs and soon after commence building their elaborately 



