588 Mr. A. B. Percival on Birds 
them for safety daring the flood. In manv of the bushes 
there were some small snakes and lizards. Most of these 
reptiles had been taken off by the various birds of prey that 
were at hand. I shot two of the Cuckoos, but found them 
useless, as they were in very poor plumage. 
39. Ceuthmochares australis Sharpe ; Shelley, Ibis, 
1897, p. 545. 
I saw several of these birds in the very thick bush, and 
obtained two or three specimens. 
40. Tachornis parvus (Licht.) ; Hartert, Cat. B. Brit. 
Mus. xvi. p. 463 (1892). 
Verv common. Thev roos't in the leaves of the borassus 
palm. 
41. MicROPUs CAFFER (Licht.) ; Hartert, Cat. B. Brit. 
Mus. xvi. p. 450 (1892). 
Very few seen. 
42. Caprimulgus fossii Hartl. ; Shelley, Ibis, 1897, 
p. 543. 
«. ? ad. Buo Biver, August 1898. 
This small Nightjar was not widely spread over the district, 
as I only saw it or heard it at one place, and there I 
could put up six or eight in a hundred yards when walking 
through the rough grass and stones. I looked carefully for 
eggs, but never could find any, although the bird seemed to 
be in breeding condition. 
43. CosMETORNis VEXiLLARius (Gould) ; Shcllcy, Ibis, 
1894, p. 4. 
Numerous among the foot hills of British Central Africa, 
usually on rocky ground. Males are often found in small 
flocks of five or six, females always singly. The male bird 
is easily recognised when flying, even without the long 
feathers, by the white bar across the wing. 
44. Melittophagus albifrons (Cab. & Heine) ; Shelle}'^, 
Ibis, 1894, p. 5. 
Common over the whole district. It breeds in colonies 
along with Merops natalensis, but later ; while it does not 
