TELOPHORUS ZEYLONUS 403 
It was first noticed by Brisson, who in 1760 gave a good 
description of it, and states that it was sent from the Cape by 
the Abbé de la Caille (a well-known astronomer, who measured 
the first arc of meridian south of the equator) to M. de 
Reaumur. Linneus, wrongly led by Edwards, who also de- 
scribed the bird and stated that it came from Ceylon, named 
it Turdus zeylonus. 
This species is exceedingly common throughout the whole 
of Cape Colony, especially in the western and central districts. 
During my short visit to South Africa, I found it most 
abundant around Cape Town and also procured specimens at 
Wellington, Ceres and Port Elizabeth. In Natal it is distinctly 
rare at Durban, though I have an example collected for me by 
Gordge ; further up country from Colenso to Newcastle it is 
quite common and was met with by Messrs. Butler, Feilden 
and Reid. 
Clarke found it common at Bloemfontein and Symonds at 
Kroonstad, while in the Transvaal it is rare in Wakkerstroom 
(Grant), Ermelo (C. Taylor), and at Irene (L. Taylor), but 
common at Pretoria (Distant and L. Taylor). 
In Damaraland according to Chapman and Andersson it is 
more common in the south and becomes rare northwards, 
while in Angola it was met with on the Rio Coroca in south 
Mossamedes by Anchieta and Van der Kellen, and Monteiro 
collected a single example at Cuio Bay just south of 
Benguella. This is the most northern locality yet recorded. 
Messrs. Sclater and Stark give the following account of its 
habits :— 
The Bacbakiri is an exceedingly conspicuous bird, both 
from its loud and unmistakable note and also from its beauti- 
ful plumage of yellow and green with a black chest-band. 
The male and female are seldom found far apart, and perched 
on neighbouring branches, often of high trees, utter their loud 
