336 Dr. R. B. Sharpe on Birds 



c. rf ad. Deelfontein, May 15, 1902. 



(I, r. ? ad. „ Aug. 13, 1902. 



[Found all the year round, but not very commonly, gene- 

 rally on the kopjes, but occasionally also on the veldt. It is 

 usually met with in pairs, but in winter three or four may be 

 seen together, often in company with other birds.] 



80. Spjloptila ocularis. 



Drymreca ocularis Smith; Sharpe, ed. Layard, p. 250 (lcS70). 



Spiloptila ocularis Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit, Mas. vii. p. 232 

 (1883); Stark, Faun. S. Air., Birds, ii. p. 138(1901); Sharpe. 

 Hand-1. B. iv. p. 201 (1903). 



a, b. 6 ad.; c, d. 6 2 juv. Deelfontein, Jan, 7-31, 1901. 



e. 2 juv. Deelfontein, Jan. 9, 1901. 



/, //. 2 ad. et ? juv. Deelfontein, Feb, 1 k 2, 1901. 

 Iris light hazel. 



h. 6 ad. Deelfontein, Feb. 27, 1902. 



i,k. 6 2 ad. „ March 25, 1902. 



/. c? ad. „ March 23, 1902. Iris light hazel ; 



bill black ; feet light brown. 



m, n. 6 ad. „ Aug. 25, 1902. 



o. 6 ad. „ Sept. 30, 1902. 



p, q. 6 pull. ,, Oct. 28, 1902. Iris greyish brown j 



base <>ij bill lilac ; feet brownish flesh-coloured. 



It is very interesting to find that the young male and 

 young female (if correctly sexed) both possess a black collar 

 in the nestling plumage, though in one female obtained 

 on the 1st of February the black collar is absent or barely 

 represented by a dusky shade. 



According to the nestlings, this species must breed from 

 October to February, and even the male shot on the 30th of 

 September has the plumage decidedly worn and is apparently 

 a breeding bird ; this specimen has remains of black spots on 

 the throat like the Hopetown specimens referred to in the 

 Catalogue (p. 233), which 1 believed to be in the winter dress 

 of the species ; but from the specimens brought home by 

 Messrs. Seimund and Grant it is evident that there is very 

 little difference between the summer and the winter plumage. 



