CERTHILAUDA SEMITORQUATA. 27 



tuft of grass on the ground. It feeds on insects and small 

 grass seeds, aud inhabits flats and mountain slopes — soars 

 frequently. Notes : a loud but plaintive whistle, somewhat 

 resembling e-u." 



In Natal, according to Messrs. Butler, Feilden and Reid, 

 it is "a very abundant species on the rocky 'kopjes.' The 

 male has a curious way of rising suddenly and silently from its 

 perch on a rock, in a nearly perpendicular direction, for a 

 height of twenty or thirty feet. Just at the summit of its 

 flight it gives a long-drawn whistle ' phe-e-ew,' not unlike that 

 of the Clapper Lark; then, with wings nearly closed, descends 

 in a slanting direction to another neighbouring rock to repeat 

 the manoeuvre in a few minutes' time. Reid shot one in tlie 

 very middle of this singular performance, so there is no 

 question as to correct identification of the bird; moreover, 

 Mirafra apiata is not found near Newcastle, and there is no 

 cracking of the wings as with that well-known species. The 

 male bird is considerably larger than the female, and has the 

 iris greyish brown; in the female it is brown." Mr. T. E 

 Buckley shot a specimen in the Transvaal in June, and writes: 

 " Not very common, I fancy. This was the only specimen I 

 obtained; and I observed only one or two more." The late 

 Mr. Frank Gates also obtained a specimen here in December 

 of the same year. The late Dr. Stark informs us that he 

 never met with more than a pair together ; " their ordinary 

 call-note is a clear and prolonged whistle, they also indulge 

 occasionally in a short but cheerful song. Towards the end 

 of August or beginning of September, they proceed to nest. 

 A slight cavity scratched in the ground under cover of a tuft 

 of grass is lined with fine dry grass, and in it three eggs are 

 laid about the end of September. These are cream coloured, 

 spotted all over, but more thickly in a ring round the widest 

 part of the egg, with reddish and purplish brown. They 

 average 0-90 x U-65." 



