254



Dr. A. G. Butler,



the median coverts edged and broadly tipped with ashy-white,

the wings otherwise smoky-brown, becoming almost black on

the secondaries, the tail is slaty-black, all but the central feathers

largely white at base, the outermost feathers almost entirely of

that colour ; the rump and upper- (as well as under-) tail-coverts

white.


This male, therefore, although presumably a bird of the

year, seems to correspond most nearly with Stage 6, (almost

►S. castor of Blanford and Dresser’s Monograph) while the female

is altogether browner than Messrs. Stark and Sclater describe it.

The question is—How many changes, if any, did Capt. Horsbrugh

observe before forwarding the birds to me ? He has not, so far,

sent me on his notes; and I am unable to hold back this article

any longer, because I am short of copy for the Magazine.


The hen is a nice bird, but not particularly confiding; she

flies rapidly backwards and forwards every morning while I am

renewing her food, being evidently nervous until my hand is out

of the cage ; she will not take insects from my fingers, but will

come to the front of the cage and call to me when she wants an

insect ; the sound of the call is not pretty,—a sort of “ Hrish

sometimes repeated with variations like the commencement of a

song ; she also sits on a perch looking upwards and opening and

shutting her wings as though she wished to take a long flight.


In Sharpe and Layard’s “ Birds of South Africa,” pp. 246,

247, we read :—“ De Vaillant found this bird inhabiting the

mountains of Namaqua Land, and never descending into the

plains, except compelled by great drought. He describes them

as very shy and difficult of approach, hiding themselves in holes

or inaccessible precipices.”


Le Vaillant’s account of their habits is substantially

correct. We only found them among the rocky mountain sides,

breeding in the holes and crevices. Mr. H. Jackson writes to

us : —“ Among the eggs I now send are fourteen of A. monticola,

all from the same pair of birds, our old friends of last 3^ear. This

makes thirty-four of this sort, all or nearl}' all from one pair of

birds. They build in my kraal walls, and no sooner are their

eggs taken than they set to work to make a new nest in a fresh

place, finish it, and lay their eggs in a very short time.”



