420 Mr. \V. L. Sclater on Birds collected 



blackish brown above, thickly spotted with pale fulvous ; t'ne 

 secondaries shew a little white edging, and the tail is white- 

 tipped. Below it is white, stippled with black. 



[I have seen this species in the Cape Pcninsnla (where it 

 is plentiful), in Zululand, and in the North-Easteru Trans- 

 vaal ; from all these localities specimens were secured. I 

 have also noted it at Pretoria, wdiere I have observed it in 

 the grouuds of the Zoological Gardeu, 



This bird has more the habits of a Shrike than those of a 

 I'lycatcher, and it is very fond of sitting on tlie top of some 

 bush or small tree after the manner of Lanius collaris, for 

 wdiicli at a short distance it can easily be mistaken ; in fact, 

 many colonists will tell you that it is one and the same bird, 

 and call it by the local name of the Shrike. 



It breeds in the summer season, and probably has two 

 broods, as I have taken the eggs in the Cape Peninsula in 

 September and shot young birds in January in the North- 

 Eastern Transvaal, unless it breeds later in the latter locality, 

 which is just possible. 



I took the nest and three eggs on the 19th of September 

 at the Cape ; this was placed about ten feet from the ground 

 in the fork of a small bush forming part of a hedge bordering 

 a by-road. The nest was cup-shaped and composed of twigs 

 of heather and wild sage, lined with chicken-feathers and 

 downy seeds. The old birds were quite jealous, and were 

 easily procured. It has a loud call aiid a sort of song. 



The soft parts are : — Irides brown ; bill, legs and toes 

 black. In the young the bill and legs are darkish brcwu, 

 and the gape is yellow. 



In an immature male in second plumage the bill and legs 

 and toes are not of so deep a black as in the adult.] 



310. MUSCICAPA GRISOLA. 



P. Beira, Nov. 29, Dec. 31, Eeb. 7 (3). 



[I have only noted the European Spotted Flycatcher in 

 the Beira district, where it was quite numerous during 

 the summer. Its habits are too well-known to need 



repetition.] 



