104 DENIZENS OF THE FOKEST 



DRONGO-SHRIKES. 



The Family Dicruridce, Genus Dicrurus, contains two 

 species of Drongo-shrikes, called Bijvangers by the 

 Boers. 



They are both black birds, the Fork-tailed Drongo 

 (Dicrurus afer), as its name indicates, having a pro- 

 nounced forked tail, the plumage differing from the 

 Square-tailed Drongo (D. ludwigii) in being much more 

 glossy, and pitch-black throughout, whereas the latter 

 bird has the lower surface tinged with greyish. 



The Fork-tailed is fairly general in distribution 

 throughout South Africa, excepting the neighbourhood 

 of Cape Town and the desert portion of North-western 

 Cape Colony. It is very common in the " Bush " regions 

 of the East Cape Colony, Natal and Transvaal. We 

 found it extremely so in the Albany kloofs, and along 

 the Hennops River near Irene, in the district of Pretoria. 



It lives in pairs, the male pursuing any intruder of 

 his kind who invades the territory he claims as his own. 

 It has a shrill voice and is an excellent mimic. It has 

 the habit of sitting on some exposed branch from which 

 it makes short darts into the air after insects, which form 

 its main article of food. Its inordinate fondness for bees 

 has earned for itself the vernacular name of Bijvariger 

 (Bee-catcher). It is also singularly attracted by a grass 

 fire, dashing through the smoke after insects. 



It is extremely bold in defending its nest, and will 

 fly round one's head when robbing the nest, approaching 

 at times near enough for its wings to brush against 

 one. It builds a light, though strong, saucer- shaped 

 nest of rootlets and twigs, usually situated near the 

 extremity of a bough, slung between two twigs. Its 

 eggs, two to four in number, vary from a pure white 



