NOTES FROM NATAL. 337 



specimen:-" Legs and feet brownish flesh; bill horny-brown 

 above lavender below; iris dark brown." He also notes that it 

 is a bird of skulking habits, seeking concealment in the grass 

 much more than the other Pipits, especially when pursued, lying 

 close, and being consequently often difficult to flush a second 

 time ' 



'Motacilla capensis, Linn., Cape Wagtail—Everywhere abun- 

 dant inland but not so numerous, apparently, in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the coast. A graceful, lively bird, with an extremely 

 pretty httle song, not often heard. Nests were found in September 

 October, and November, built on the banks of streams or dry 

 dongas, among overhanging roots, or under projecting stones ; 

 they are cup-shaped, neatly and massively constructed of dry grass 

 lined with fur and cows-hair. The eggs, three in number usually' 

 are brownish cream-colour, very indistinctly freckled with brown 

 and very slightly glossed ; -85 in. by -55 in. , 



Motacilla vidua, Sundev., African Pied Wagtail.-One seen 

 and obtained by Reid on the edge of a sluggish stream near 

 Colenso, on the 20th November, where Butler also observed a 

 pair on the banks of the Tugela. Several pairs seen, and a 

 specimen procured, at the mouth of the Umgeni, near Durban 

 on the 24th December (R). Not observed in the neighbourhood 

 of Newcastle. f 



Columba phasonota, Gray.-This handsome Pigeon, which is 

 most excellent eating, abounds throughout the hilly country in the 

 north-west of Natal, roosting on ledges in the steep "krantzes " 

 and descending to feed on the lower grounds in the roads and 

 out-span places, where windfalls of scattered "mealies" are 

 met with and in cultivated land. They are very strong on the 

 wing, and, like most Pigeons, require a deal of hitting to bring 

 them down. Young birds have the white spots on the wing- 

 coverts less pronounced than the adults, and they want the ruddy 

 vmaceous feathers of the neck and breast; iris dirty white or 

 cream-colour; bill and bare skin round the eye cinereous; legs 

 reddish brown. Old birds have the iris reddish pink, or some- 

 times cream-colour, with an outer ring of reddish pink; bill & c 

 as given by Layard. It is worthy of note that an egg of this 

 bird was found on a ledge of rock at the Ingagane River in mid- 

 winter (July) ! Butler also found a nest containing a single fresh 

 egg on the 9th October. Can it breed twice 9 



2x 



