2iU Mr. W. L. ScLater on Birds collected 



98 against 110 mm. in Hve males from the Trausvaal, and tlie 

 iianks are more distinctly washed with a pale rusty brown. 



[This Babbling Thrush was not observed till the Transvaal 

 was reached;, but it was commonly seen in the Eastern and 

 North-Eastern districts, and in the Inhambane, Beira, 

 Gorongoza, and Tete districts of Portuguese East Africa. 



This species is gregarious in habits, usually being found 

 in flocks of a dozen or more individuals, and betraying its 

 presence by its continual and loud cackling, which when the 

 whole tlock is calling can be heard at a considerable distance. 

 It frequents well-timbered country, where it is partial to the 

 thickets and undergrowth, and feeds principally upon insects. 

 The flight is low and straight, and only from one sheltered 

 position to another. I have not seen it otherwise than in 

 flocks, and have not observed it breeding. 



The soft parts are : — 



Irides of two colours, inner ring orange-yellow^ outer 

 blood-orange ; bill, legs and toes black. 



In the young the irides are greyish yellow ; bill, legs and 

 toes blackish horu-coloured.] 



217. Pycnonotus capensis. 



CC. Klipfoutein, Apl., May (3) ; Tukai, near Cape Town, 

 Feb. (2) ; Durban lid., Mch., Sept. (G) ; Plettenberg Bay, 

 Mch. (1). 



The single bird collected at Plettenberg Bay on ]\Iarch 9 

 is just finishing its moult, and has the tail-feathers strongly 

 graduated ; the outer pair are the shortest and do not reach 

 beyond the toes, the others are all very regularly graduated 

 to the central four, which are equal and of normal length. 



[_"■ Geelgat " of Ca})e Colonists. 



In Namaqualand, the Cape Peninsula, and the Knysna 

 district of Cape Colony only, have I observed this species. 

 It is very common in all three localities, and generally 

 frequents cultivated lands and the vicinity of homesteads and 

 villages ; it does considerable damage to all kinds of fruit 

 when in season ; at other times it feeds on wild berries and 

 probably to a certain extent on insects. Although I have 



