132 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



of tail, dark-brown ; the rest deep rufous, more or less edged 

 and tipped with dark-brown ; a white line extends from the 

 forehead over the eye ; space between the eye and the bill 

 and ears black ; throat, breast, and chin, orange ; the rest of 

 the under parts bluish -grey, inclining to white in the centre 

 of the belly, and rufous on the vent. Length, 7" ; wing, 

 3" 9'" ; tail, 3" 3'". 



This is the Cape "robin,'' and decidedly deserves the name. It is 

 common in all the gardens, even in the midst of Cape Town, flitting 

 along the gravel paths, scraping in the flower-beds, perching on the 

 leafless summit of some deciduous tree, or the ridge of the housetop, 

 and pouring out a short, robin-like song, which, when heard in the 

 darkening twilight, reminds the listener of the familiar note of the 

 " household bird with the red stomacher/' Its nest is placed in much 

 the same situations, and built of the same materials, and the eggs 

 equal in number and resemble in form, size, and shape, those of the 

 European bird, only rather less coloured, being of a dirty white or 

 buff ground, more or less freckled witti dull pale rufous : axis, 11"' ; 

 diam., 7'". Its food consists of insects, worms, &c., and when it hops 

 from place to place in search of it, it droops its wings and jerks its tail, 

 just like the robin. 



249. Bessonornis Humeralis; 



memlis, Smith, Zool. S. A. ; PL 48. 



ABOVE, including two centre tail-feathers, very dark grey, 

 approaching to black ; rump and lateral tail-feathers, bright 

 rufous, the latter with dark-grey tips ; a white stripe extends 

 over each eye from the nostrils ; another stripe of the same 

 colour extends from the shoulder almost to the top of the 

 closed wing ; throat and breast white ; belly, flanks, and 

 vent rufous. Length, 7" 1"' ; wing, 3" 3'" ; tail, 3" 2'". 



Dr. A. Smith first discovered this species in latitude 26 south. 

 I have received it from Kuruman, but in very limited numbers. In 

 its habits it is said closely to resemble B. Phcenicurus, except that it is 

 but rarely seen on the ground. 



250. Bessonornis Caffra; Motatiiia Ca/ra, 



Linn.; Sylvia Ca/ra, Shaw, Vol. 10, p. 669. 



UPPER parts, ashy green ; rump and tail rufous, with the 

 exception of the two centre feathers, which are brown ; chin 

 and throat rufous ; chest and belly ashy-grey, inclining to 

 rufous on the vent ; a white stripe extends from the nostrils 

 over the eyes. Length, 8" 3'" ; wing, 3" 6'" ; tail, 3" 9'". 



This bird, the only one which has fallen under my notice, was 

 received from Mr. E. Moffat, at Kuruman. 



