92 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



ashy-grey; chin, throat, middle of breast and belly, pale 

 yellowish- grey, passing into white ; breast faintly speckled 

 with pale- brown ; sides of breast, flanks, and vent, pale hair- 

 brown ; tail graduated, dull reddish-brown, tipped with wood- 

 brown, with a broad transverse umber-brown bar immediately 

 behind the light tip. Length, 5" 4'" ; wing, 2" ; tail 2" 4'". 



" This bird occurs in various districts of the Cape Colony, and is 

 either found upon brushwood or among rushes or reeds. It feeds 

 upon insects, and, like others of the genus, flits generally from branch 

 to branch or from reed to reed in quest of its food." Dr. A. Smith, 

 loc. cit. 



I have received it from Swellendam, from Mr. Atmore, and saw it 

 along the River Zonder End. Dr. Smith's account of its habits is 

 perfectly correct. 



161. Drymoica Capensis, Smith, z<x>i. s. A., PL 



76, f. 1. 



TOP of head, neck, interscapulars, back, rump, and tail, 

 between broccoli and yellowish brown ; the feathers of the 

 latter, with the exception of the two middle ones, narrowly 

 margined with wood-brown ; wings dull umber-brown ; chin, 

 throat, and under parts of body white, with a yellowish tinge, 

 more or less marked with short subovate umber-brown 

 stripes; eye stripe whitish ; eye, light' hair- brown. Length, 

 4" 11"'; wing, 2" T"; tail 3'". 



" Inhabits various districts in the western division of the Cape 

 Colony, and is found in situations which abound with shrubs. It 

 feeds upon insects, and searches for these both upon underwood and 

 on the ground generally, however, on the former. It is also occa- 

 sionally observed among coarse grass or reeds, busily engaged climbing 

 or flitting about in quest of food." Dr. A. Smith, loc. cit. 



I have received it from Colesberg and Swellendam, and have pro- 

 cured a few specimens on the Cape Flats. I cannot help thinking that 

 this is the bird described by Le Vaillant as " Le Capocier," PI. 

 130, Fig. 1, the fabricator of the beautiful nest figured on PL 129, 

 and called by Cuvier, at page 391, Yol. 6, Motacilla Macroura, and at 

 page 467, Sylvia Macroura, Gmel. 



The description given by Le Yaillant of the nests of these birds is 

 too long for quotation : suffice it to say, it is a most beautiful structure 

 of cotton, gathered from the wild cotton-tree. The eggs are from five 

 to eight in number, of a pale verditer ground, spotted, blotched, and 

 striped, chiefly at the obtuse end, and sometimes in the form of a ring, 

 with brown (more or less dark) markings : axis., 7'" ; diam., 5'". 



162. Drymoica Melanorhyncha. (Jardine.) 



Contrib. to Ornith., 1852, p. 60. 



ABOVE, pale brownish-grey ; stripe between the nostrils and 

 the eye, white ; under parts white, tinted with pale-brown ; 



