SECRETARY BIRD 121 



The Tree Pipit (A. trivialis) is a migrant from Northern 

 and Central Europe and Western Siberia, where it breeds. 

 It was first recorded from the Transvaal by Wahlberg, 

 and recently by L. E. Taylor as far south as Irene. 



The Cinnamon-Backed Pipit (A. pyrrlwnotus], the 

 Lesser Tawny Pipit (A. rufidus), the Vaal Eiver Pipit 

 (A. vaalensis), are all brown birds of dull coloration, and 

 not easy for the tyro to distinguish from one another. 

 They are called " Koesters " (meaning Duckers) by the 

 Boers, from their habit of ducking down or cowering in 

 the grass. They are denizens of the open veld, making 

 a nest somewhat similar to that of the Longclaws, in 

 much the same locality, and usually lay three eggs of 

 a sandy tint, mottled with reddish and purplish-brown. 



Our friend, Mr. L. E. Taylor, of Irene, had the honour 

 of adding a Central African species to the South African 

 list, viz., the Golden Pipit (Tmetothylacus tenellus of 

 Cabanis). That this truly Tropical bird, in its gaudy 

 yellow and black attire, should have wandered as far 

 south as the South Central Transvaal, is somewhat 

 strange. The Journal fur Ornithologie (organ of the 

 German Ornithological Society) for January, 1907, con- 

 tains a coloured plate of the female (till then undescribed) 

 and wings of both sexes. 



SECRETARY BIRD. 



A prominent, though not very common, figure on the 

 veld is the Secretary-Bird (Serpentarlus secretarius) . It 

 is a well-known bird in its ashy-grey and black plumage ; 

 the black quill-like feathers, situated at the back of the 

 head and erectable at will, give the bird its name of 

 " Secretary." 



