on the Birds of South-Easteni China. 31 



of August, but tliey have been seen at Macao and Wuchau in 

 September and October. They are very noisy, calling loudly 

 to one another, especially after the young are able to fly. 



The nest is an exceedingly flat and flimsy aff'air, attached 

 to a fork at the very end of a slender horizontal bongli, at 

 heights which vary from fifteen to forty feet, and in such 

 a position is sometimes quite inaccessible. It is made of 

 grass and lined with fine grass or roots ; the rim is the most 

 substantial part of it and the eggs or young can usually be 

 seen through its bottom. 



When the nest is approached the birds are very fearless, 

 dashing round the tree and in and out among the branches. 



They commence to lay early in May, and young birds 

 have been found early in June; three is the usual clutch, 

 but four have been found; one brood only is reared. 



These birds catch insects on the wing, and hawk until 

 quite dark ; they drink also during flight like Swallows. 



Eggs vary in length from 1'15 to 1'03 and in breadth 

 from '83 to '79, and eight eggs average r08x*81. (See 

 Plate V. fig. 16 of the April number.) 



BUCIIANGA ATIIA. 



The Black Dron go-Shrike is a common summer visitor to 

 Kwang Tung, but there, with one exception, it is confined 

 to the coast ; it does not occur in Kwang* Si, where Chibia 

 hottentotta replaces it. Away from the coast this species 

 occurs only at Tak Hing, on the borders of Kwang Si 

 Province — a very curious distribution. 



The first arrivals in the spring are met with about the 

 middle of April, and by the end of that month they are 

 plentiful, but only on the coast. Of those returning from 

 further north, the third week in September sees the first 

 arrivals, but plenty continue to come in through October, 

 and some have been occasionally met with in November and 

 even in December ; but this last date is unusual. 



The cry of this bird is very harsh and is constantly 

 indulged in. They are very fierce, dashing in a bullying 

 way at various other birds, and mobbing such inoft'ensive 

 species as the Smyrna Kingfisher. They catch their prey 



