ROBINS 103 



nape and rump orange-brown ; upper tail-coverts chest- 

 nut ; entire under-surface orange-red. 



This species ranges from Durban to Mombasa in the 

 East, and from Benguela to Loango in the West. 



It resembles the former bird in habits and nidification. 



The Brown Kobin-Chafc (Cossypha signata) is chocolate- 

 brown above ; a bar of white on the wing ; a white eye- 

 brow, above which there is a black line ; under-surface 

 white ; throat, breast and sides of body ashy. 



This is a retiring bush-loving bird of the Eastern Cape 

 Colony and Natal. 



In the Albany Kloofs it is not uncommon. The eggs 

 are greenish-white, covered with pink-grey blotches, 

 chiefly at the obtuse end. 



The Black Bush-Kobin (Tarsiger silens) has the upper 

 parts black, except the wing, which is adorned with 

 a white patch ; throat and under tail-coverts white ; 

 breast and abdomen grey. The female has the black of 

 the male replaced by brown. 



This bird is known as the Sacred Jackhanger to the 

 Colonial Schoolboy. The male bears a strong resem- 

 blance to that of the Fiskal Shrike when on the wing, 

 or flitting about the trees. It builds a compact cup- 

 shaped nest, generally composed of bents of everlastings 

 in a tree or bush, and lays three eggs of a pale green 

 indistinctly mottled with pale rusty-brown. 



Where this bird got the name it is known by in the 

 text-books (viz.. Silent Bush-Kobin) is not quite clear, 

 as it is one of the noisiest of birds, being also an excellent 

 mimic. 



It is a true insect feeder. 



