364 Dr. B. B. Sliarpe on Birds 



118. PYRRHULAUDA A'ERTICALIS. 



Pyrrhulauda verticalis (Smith) ; Sliarpe, ed. Layard, 

 p. 492 (1875-84) j id. Cat. B. xiii. p. 656 (1890) ; Stark, Faun. 

 S. Afr., Birds, i. p. 195 (1900) ; Shelley, B. Afr. iii. p. 83 

 (1902). 



u-e. S ad. et imm.; /. ? ad. Deelfontein, Nov. 11-23, 

 1902. 



y. <$ ad. Deelfontein, March 10, 1902. 



The variation in size of the white spot on the crown is 

 remarkable, and in some specimens it disappears altogether ; 

 it is obscured by a shade of brown in all those killed in 

 November, while the March specimen has the vertical spot 

 whiter than the others and has the white margins of the 

 coverts very broad and distinct. 



[Very fond of visiting old camping-grounds, where it was 

 fairly common in flocks of from four to six individuals, or 

 more. It fed on the same small black seeds as the Sand- 

 Grouse, and was generally in company with the Red-headed 

 Larks.] 



119. Spreo bicolor. 



Spi-eu bicolor Sharpe, ed. Layard, pp.429, 846 (1875-84) ; 

 id. Cat. B. xiii. p. 187 (1890) ; Stark, Faun. S. Afr., Birds, i. 

 p. 30 (1900) .; Reichenow, Vog. Afrikas, ii. p. 673 (1903). 



a, b,c. <$ ; d, e. ? imm. Deelfontein, Feb. 14-18, 1902. 



/. <J ad. „ March 5, 1902. 



g, h. <$ ; i. ? ad. „ May 15, 1902. 



k. <$ ; I, m. ? ad. „ Aug. 9, 1902. 



n, o. <$ ? . „ Oct. 29, 1902. 



p. ? ad. „ Nov. 23, 1902. 



All the birds killed in February are moulting out of an 

 earthy-brown plumage into the metallic dress. Those 

 obtained in May seem to have just finished their moult, and 

 are rather dull in colour, being apparently young birds. 



In October the birds appear to be undergoing another 

 moult, and the hen shot from the nest in December is also 

 moulting out of the brown into the metallic plumage. 

 The egg is of a beautiful blue colour, with a few reddish- 

 brown or ochreous-brown dots. Axis 1\25 inch, diara. 0*9. 



