216 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



of the colony, and is well known from its singular habit of rising 

 fifteen or thirty feet into the air, perpendicularly, making a sharp crack- 

 ing sound with its wings as it rises, uttering a long shrill " phew," and 

 then falling as abruptly to the earth. This action it will repeat at inter- 

 vals of a minute or two, for an hour or more, chiefly during bright 

 sunny mornings. It delights in warm sandy soils ; but I met with it on 

 the high table-land of the Cold Bokkeveld in considerable abundance. 



Genus CERTHILAUDA, Swainson. 



Bill slender, lengthened, more or less curved ; nostrils 

 round, naked ; wings very long ; the first quill spurious ; 

 the three next nearly equal; tail moderate, even; feet 

 lengthened ; the lateral toes equal ; length of hinder claw 

 variable, although typically short and straight 



435. Oerthilauda Garrula, Smith; Zooi. s. A., 



PL JOG; Certhilauda Albofasciata, Lafresnaye, Mag. 

 deZool., 1836, Ois. 59. 



TOP of the head and back, blackish-brown ; the feathers 

 margined with rufous ; tail-feathers, with the exception of 

 the two centre, blackish-brown ; broadly tipped with white ; 

 throat white ; breast and belly ruddy. Length, 6" 6"' ; 

 wings, 3" 3'" ; tail, 2" S'". 



" Inhabits the northern parts of the colony, is very noisy, and 

 generally found in small flocks. It moves rapidly, and when at rest 

 is found either on the ground or perched on ant-heaps or small shrubs. 

 It constructs its nest in a hole or excavation in the ground ; the foun- 

 dation is small twigs ; the inner part grass or hair. It lays four or 

 five eggs, of an olive colour, with darker spots of olive-brown." Dr. 

 A. Smith, loc. cit. Several specimens received from Mr. Atmore, who 

 writes, 24th October, 1864, " I have just stumbled upon a nest of C. 

 Garrula with two eggs, hard set ; they are brown spotted, much like 

 those of the " Kalkoentje," but smaller. Nest open, and nicely 

 secreted under a bush. The whole family keep together till pairing 

 time : they run very swiftly on the ground. Eggs three, four, or five. 

 The male is very attentive to his sitting hen, spreads his wings, sets 

 up his feathers, and sings. 



I obtained a few specimens of this species at Nel'sPoort; and 

 observed it at the " River Zonder End," on Mr. Vigne's farm. It 

 appears to be widely distributed. Nests seen by me resembled 

 those described by Mr. Atmore. 



436. Certhilauda Semitorquata, Smith ; Zooi. 



S. A., PI. 106 ; C. Rufo-palliata, Lafres. 



UPPER surface of the head and back, rufous, variegated with 

 longitudinal brown lines ; back of neck with a half-collar of 

 pale ash-grey; throat white, variegated with brown ; breast 

 and belly, pale rufous, the breast marked with longitudinal 



