66 . Mr. C, F. M. Swyunerton on the 
73. CossyPHA CAFFRA. Cape Robin-Chat. 
I have seen only a single specimen of this bird, shot last 
‘June ina patch of grass-jungle and thorns close to Chirinda. 
Tt was moving quietly about in the rank vegetation. Length 
in the flesh 7 inches. The stomach contained small beetles. 
74, Tarsicer steLtatus. White-starred Bush-Robin. 
Extremely common in Chirinda, though, owing to the 
fact that it searches for its food ou the ground amongst the 
denser undergrowth, it is comparatively seldom seen. It is 
a silent bird, and on two occasions I have seen it watching 
me boldly—though shy enough as a rule—from a neighbour- 
ing twig or log, without uttering a sound or shewing other 
signs of agitation, while I examined its nest. ‘This is large 
and domed, with an elliptical opening in the side, and is 
placed on the ground in a clump of ferns or amongst dry 
leaves, sometimes at the foot of a tree, while it is so well 
assimilated to its surroundings that the specimens which 
have come under my notice could not but have been taken 
for mere excrescences in the leayes and moss littering the 
ground, had not the bird flown out. <A typical nest now 
before me consists of dry leaves, moss, a little fine grass, and 
a few small roots and twigs, the latter including fine stems 
of the thorny climbiug acacia so common, unfortunately, in 
Chirinda, arranged, doubtless as a protection, round the 
opening ; it is lined with fine grass and fibres ; the opening 
is 2°5 inches wide by 2 deep; the diameter of the cup 
3 inches from front to back; the total depth of the nest 
5 inches. Three would appear to be the full number of eggs 
which are not unlike those of the English Robin, being pure 
white in ground-colour freckled and blotched with brownish 
red: the markings are in some specimens fairly evenly 
distributed, in others collected at the larger end; in drying, 
some of the markings assume a greyish tinge. The eggs in 
my collection measure from 21°5 to 28°5 in length, and from 
14°5 to 15°25 mm. in breadth. 
In May, out of nine stomachs examined one contained 
‘*Gumiti’’-berries only, two insects only, and the remainder 
