356 Mr. A. H. Evans— Bird-Notes 



of Weaver-birds and Shrikes, but no eggs were found. 

 The loud ringing notes of the Barbets were especially 

 noticeable, and the birds themselves, though shy, were very 

 conspicuous when perched upon the tree-tops. 



Returning in the evening to Johannesburg — where we had 

 previously had the pleasure of being present at a meeting 

 of the South African Ornithologists' Union — we were just 

 in time to catch our train to Bloemfontein. Round that 

 town the country was still bare and parched, but in the small 

 oasis surrounding a farm a few miles distant I was able to 

 make some observations, while the dry veldt afforded us a 

 sight of several pairs of a little Courser, probably Rhinoptilus 

 africanus, and of a good many Larks. Among several un- 

 identified black birds, I must doubtless have seen there or 

 in Natal Coliojiasser progne, the Sakabula or Isa-kabuli bird 

 of the natives, from the plumage of which they make their 

 decorative feather-balls. 



From this time onwards we had constant opportunities of 

 noticing birds at the different stations on the line at which 

 we made short stoppages, but except that the Sparrows had 

 fully fledged young at Norval's Pont on September 4th — 

 where no other birds seemed to have eggs — nothing came 

 under observation that we did not see to better advantage 

 elsewhere. A nest, which was probably that of the Hammer- 

 kop (Scopus umbretta), was visible from the train at one 

 point. 



Kimberley and its diamond-mines was our next halting- 

 place, and there I had two good opportunities of searching 

 for nests, though I was again struck by the small number 

 of species of birds compared with the large number of 

 individuals. In the avenues laid out during the siege 

 Sparrows were plentiful and had fresh eggs, Doves (no doubt 

 (Ena capensis) were beginning to nest in the orange-trees 

 and in some cases had laid their eggs, while other species 

 were evidently preparing to breed. To my great regret, I 

 was obliged to refuse the kind invitation of Mr. Lynch, the 

 Manager of the Waterworks, to visit the Vaal River in his 

 company, but I spent several pleasant hours at his beautiful 



