SWIFTS NIGHTJARS 27 



It is only found from immediately south of the Orange 

 River, northwards. We discovered them in pairs along 

 the Modder River in the Bloemfontein District, where 

 they may be seen amongst the mimosas searching for 

 insects and spiders, which form their staple diet. Mr. 

 Austin Roberts, who took the eggs of this bird on the 

 banks of the Vaal River, near Venterskroon, informs 

 us they were four in number and of a beautiful verditer 

 blue colour. He discovered them in a hole in the trunk 

 of a mimosa tree on November 9, 1904. 



SWIFTS. 



The Swifts (Cypselidce) are all exclusive insect feeders. 



South Africa possesses five species, two of which are 

 oversea migrants, one (Cypselus apus) from Europe and 

 the other (C. affinis) from India. 



The White-bellied Swift (C. africanus) is' the largest 

 species in South Africa, and is of a mouse-brown colour 

 with a white patch on the throat and another on the 

 abdomen. 



Another well-known South African species is the 

 White-rumped Swift (C. caffer), which is very much 

 smaller than C. africanus; it is more or less black in 

 colour, with a white rump, chin and throat. 



This bird usually nests in old Swallows' nests, and 

 lays two elongated white eggs. 



NIGHTJARS. 



Amongst the Nightjar family (Caprimulgidce), or Goat- 

 suckers as they are more often called (the "Nachtuil"- 

 Night-Owl of the Boers), we find some of the greatest 

 insect destroyers. 



The members of this family are all of a mottled drab 



