from South Africa. 349 



hung in numbers from a tree in the Public Garden at Cape 

 Town, and at Wynberg the Cape Robin {Cossypha caffra) 

 and the Wagtail {Motacilla capensis) may possibly have laid 

 their eggs, while the same may perhaps be said of the 

 Backbakiri* (Laniarius gutturalis), the Fiscal Shrike (Lanius 

 coVaris), and the Secretary-bird {Serpent arius secretarius) . 

 It must be remembered, however, that the breeding-season 

 in South Africa is by no means so regular as in Europe, a 

 notable instance of which fact is afforded by Promerops cafer 

 (the Cape Sugar-bird), which had already finished breeding 

 in August. Saldanha Bay is evidently an early station, and 

 eggs of the Penguin (Spheniscus demersus) from Dassen 

 Island and elsewhere had arrived at the market in some 

 quantities. 



I take this opportunity of acknowledging my indebtedness 

 to the friends who guided or accompanied me, for without 

 such help the newcomer in search of birds would be at a 

 great disadvantage, and would have the utmost difficulty in 

 determining his species without the aid of a gun. 



An expedition to the slopes of Table Mountain at Hoefs 

 Nek on August 16th with my friend Judge Graham proved 

 of the greatest interest, for there, among the Protea-bushes 

 which studded the heathy ground, Promerops was to be seen 

 in considerable numbers. The Proteas — as well as the pink, 

 coral, and white heaths — were in full bloom, and varied from 

 reds and yellows to white and a curious purplish-black colour. 

 In these bushes Promerops often builds its nest, and on their 

 flowers we saw it perched while sucking the nectar with its 

 long curved beak inserted among the petals. The bird flitted 

 along with a low jerky flight from shrub to shrub and uttered 

 shrill chirping notes. Three nests were found, composed of 

 plant-stems, roots, and grass, and lined with leaves : from 

 these the young had already flown, but possibly other nests 

 still contained eggs. In the heathery ground a small brown 

 bird, which I could not satisfactorily identify, kept flitting 

 from boulder to boulder after the manner of a Wren 



* The local pronunciation of this bird's name seems to be rather 

 Bachnialdri than Bsckbakiri. 



