TSCHAGRA TSCHAGRA 381 
species the name given to it by Vieillot founded on Levaillant’s 
description. 
Reichenow separates as a subspecies examples from Natal, 
because of the much richer and more rufous shade of the 
crown and nape, the slightly more rufous back, and the shorter 
wings and bills. This is certainly confirmed by the examples 
in the British Museum. 
In Cape Colony this species has been collected at Pletten- 
berg Bay by Claude Grant, near Grahamstown by Ivy, and 
at Port St. John’s by Shortridge. Mr. Layard states that he 
has received the bird from Nelspoort and Colesberg; but as 
both these localities are up in the dry and treeless Karroo, I 
think there must be some mistake about this. 
From Natal I have received specimens of this species 
collected near Durban by Mr. Gordge and Mr. T. L. Ayres, 
and my friends, Messrs. Butler, Feilden and Reid found it 
common in the bush between Durban and the Umgeni River. 
Beyond, it has been recorded from Barberton, by Rendall 
(Ibis, 1896, p. 171), and from the Ermelo district of the 
Transvaal by C. H. Taylor, but I have not myself seen 
examples from the Transvaal. 
Little is known of the habits of this species; it appears to 
be found both in thick forest as well as among mimosa bush 
in more open country. Ivy states that it has a peculiar 
whistle, two notes ascending, followed by the same in a 
descending scale. Levaillant also speaks of its peculiar cry 
which he syllabled into “‘ Tcha-tcha-tcha-gra,” and whence he 
obtained its name. 
Ivy found a nest with three eggs in the Albany district of 
Cape Colony. They are described by Haagner as creamy 
white, slightly tinged with lavender, and spotted and streaked 
with lavender and dark purplish brown; they measure about 
0°90 x 0°75, and are sufficiently distinct from those of T. 
senegala. 
