MISCELLANEOUS BIRDS 63 



shelter under the eaves and in the window-ledges of the 

 house, the latter weathered the storm, thickly clustering 

 in the branches of a tree, their backs to the rain. 



RAVENS and CROWS. The ravens are represented by 

 the* White-Necked Raven in the south, and another and 

 larger kind in the north and the east of the Ethiopian 

 region. The former is not present in the low country 

 of the eastern Transvaal, except as a very occasional 

 visitor ; but it exists in considerable numbers in Portu- 

 guese Nyasaland both in low-lying forest and in hilly 

 country. It is usually seen singly or in pairs. 



THE PIED CROW is found all over the continent of 

 Africa, south of the northern tropic, and swarms round 

 most of the villages of the interior on the look-out for 

 scraps and refuse. Like the raven, it frees both cattle 

 and game from ticks. Although found in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Barberton, no great distance away, this bird 

 is scarcely ever seen in the low country of the north-east 

 Transvaal, and I think has only twice been noticed near 

 Sabi Bridge in nine years. On the first occasion a single 

 one came and took a small chicken, and on the second 

 a pair were observed. It associates in couples, and 

 probably the large assemblies sometimes seen round 

 tempting feeding-grounds are merely the collection of 

 numbers of such couples. 



The African Rook is rather irregularly distributed 

 through Africa. Its habits are not unlike those of the 

 European rook. 



THE Ox PICKERS. These curious birds live almost 

 entirely on the insect parasites which they pick from 

 the hides of the larger mammals, both wild and tame. 

 They are often known as "rhinoceros birds," from 

 being the constant companions of that pachyderm, which 

 they serve not only by ridding him of ticks, but by 



