MISCELLANEOUS BIRDS 61 



Small flocks will be noticed perched on twigs or branches, 

 usually by the water side, whence one or other will from 

 time to time dart swiftly on some passing insect, bearing 

 his prey in triumph back to his perch. Though not such 

 conspicuous birds either in size or colouring as their 

 Carmine-throated cousin, the Little Bee-Eaters look very 

 showy in a plumage which contains besides the pre- 

 dominant green, black, yellow, orange, and blue. 



NIGHTJARS, as their name implies, are " birds of dark- 

 ness," and so are more often heard than seen. 'They 

 may however usually be noticed, just as dusk is merging 

 into night, flitting rapidly about on the hunt for the 

 insects which form their food. Some species spend the 

 day lying flat on the ground, usually among stones and 

 rocks, and so close do they lie, and so nearly do they 

 match the colour of their background, that it is possible 

 nearly to tread upon them before noticing them. When 

 thus disturbed they usually dart away for a few yards 

 and again settle as before. The call is a long chirring 

 or grinding sound. 



THE SOUTH AFRICAN HOOPOE is a bird that will generally 

 be seen once or twice in a walk through the bush ; you 

 will probably see it perched among the branches of some 

 tree, its conspicuous pale red and black tipped crest 

 alternately spread like an upright fan, and lowered. Its 

 call sounds something like its name. 



The remainder of the birds here mentioned all belong 

 to the Order of Perchers. 



SWALLOWS. Of these several species are wholly, or 

 partially migrant, while other are resident throughout 

 the year. The Wire-tailed Swallow and the smaller 

 Stripe-breasted Swallow both nest in the eastern Trans- 

 vaal. The former builds a shallow cup of a nest, con- 

 structed of round pellets of mud of about a quarter-inch 



