112 SOME BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA 



Snipe ; they gained a great altitude as they rose, and 

 were soon out of sight. This is the largest of the 

 South African Kingfishers, of which there are many 

 different kinds, and measures fifteen or sixteen inches in 

 length, its nearest ally being the African Pied King- 

 fisher, of which more in another chapter. 



A bird that we frequently met with during our 

 travels was the Fiscal Shrike. This Shrike has a bad 

 reputation in the Colony, and takes its name from that 

 of the old Dutch magistrates, whose behaviour it emu- 

 lates, inasmuch as it disposes of its victims without the 

 preliminary of a trial. It is much like all other Shrikes 

 in its behaviour, looking very wicked at all times, and 

 is as common in Government Avenue at Cape Town as 

 it is along the railway, where it generally takes up its 

 station on one of the telegraph wires, dropping down 

 now and then into the grass beneath. The nests were 

 very untidy-looking structures, made of almost anything 

 outside, and lined with feathers and generally some bits 

 of white rag. The eggs were in appearance very 

 similar to those of our Red-backed Shrike. This was 

 the only Shrike that we came across in the Colony 

 that appeared to have the true attributes of the Shrike 

 family ; the Bush-shrikes, of which there were many, 

 having quite different habits. The Fiscal Shrikes are 

 very solicitous for the safety of their young, and will 

 dash past close to one's face, making an angry chatter. 



One of the Bush-shrikes that is to be met with 

 almost all over the Colony is the Bakbakiri Bush-shrike. 

 These birds frequent more or less open ground which 

 is here and there grown w T ith bushes, and are certainly 

 one of the commonest birds in South Africa, often 



