STABLINGS 89 



four in number, are white, with most beautiful scroll-like, 

 wavy lines, forming a wreath round the obtuse ends. 

 The nest is cup-shaped, composed of twigs and grass, and 

 usually neatly lined with long stiff hair or fibres. Its 

 song is rather plaintive and is somewhat similar to that 

 of the European Yellow Hammer. They feed principally 

 on weed seeds. 



The other members of the sub-family are not bush- 

 birds, so we must treat of them under another heading. 



STARLINGS. 



We next come to the Sturnidce (Starlings), a fairly 

 large group, amongst which are several birds quite as 

 destructive as useful, and here is also included the 

 celebrated Wattled Starling (one of the Locust Birds), 

 which will be found described amongst the agriculturist's 

 friends. 



A common member of this family is the Red- 

 shouldered Glossy Starling (Lamprocolius phcenicopterus) , 

 commonly known as the Green Spreeuw in the Eastern 

 Province of Cape Colony. It inhabits the bushy kloofs, 

 usually laying four or five bluish-green eggs, spotted with 

 pale red-brown, in a hole in a tree. We found that the 

 soft Euphorbias are very often utilised by f these birds as 

 nesting sites. 



The true Green Spreeuw is confined to Cape Colony, 

 being replaced in the Transvaal and Natal by a smaller 

 sub-species (L. p. bispecularis), which, in addition to 

 being smaller, has the back of a steel-green colour, 

 instead of the oil-green tint which obtains in the larger 

 bird. They resemble one another in habits, being chiefly 

 frugivorous, but occasionally feed on insects. 



