from Deelfontein, Cape Colony. 321 



b-cl c? ? ad. Deelfontein, Feb. 18-23, 1902. Bill and 

 feet black ; eyes dark brown. 



e-g. $ ad. Deelfontein, March 2-26, 1902. 



h. S ad. „ April 15, 1902. 



i-n. <J ? ad. „ May 7-25, 1902. 



o. ? ad. „ Oct. 8, 1902. 



The collectors did not procure any young birds in the 

 spotted stage, but the Museum possesses such a specimen 

 sent by Layard to myse]f. In the young the edges to the 

 greater coverts and secondaries are distinctly rufous. A male 

 shot on the 23rd of February is moulting from the young 

 plumage into the first winter plumage, and the upper surface 

 is much darker brown and the breast and flanks much more 

 rufous than in breeding birds, which are decidedly greyer 

 both above and below. 



[Very common, and found everywhere all the year round ; 

 it was in great numbers among the bushes. The nests were 

 placed in old stone walls, and the eggs were generally three 

 in number, rarely four.] 



67. Petrophila explorator. 



Monticola explorator Sharpe, ed. Layard, pp. 220, 816 

 (1875-84); Seebohm, Cat. B. v. p. 323 (1881); Stark, Faun. 

 S. Afr., Birds, ii. p. 183 (1901). 



Petrophila explorator Sharpe, Hand-1. B. iv. p. 145 (1903). 



a. 2 ad. Deelfontein, May 31, 1902. [Tarsus 1- 35.] 



b. $; c,d. ? ad. Deelfontein, June 10-13, 1902. [Tarsus 

 in S 1-35, in ? 1-25-1-3.] 



e,f. ? ad. Deelfontein, Aug. 5-13, 1902. [Tarsus 1*3- 

 1-35.] 



The female killed in May appears to be a young bird in 

 first winter plumage; it is rather more rufous on the lower 

 parts, with distinct scaly markings on the chest, which has 

 not the broad whitish stripes found in older birds. 



[This Rock-Thrush was not very common, but appeared 

 about the beginning of May, the majority leaving in 

 September, though we shot an occasional bird up to January. 

 It was mostly seen in pairs on the veldt, but was also 



