251 



upon the authority of Mr. Chapman ; yet it does not appear to occur in Damara and Namaqua 

 Land ; and Mr. Andersson, in his notes (B. Damara Ld. p. 70), observes : — " It never came under 

 my personal observation, except in the south-eastern districts of the Cape colony. It frequents 

 forests, but may occasionally be observed in the more open parts during the flowering-season;" 

 but it is entered in that work owing to its having been recorded from the Lake-Ngami district. 

 In like manner we are assured by Mr. Layard (B. S. Afr. p. 76) : — " This species never visits the 

 neighbourhood of Cape Town. It replaces N. chalybea in the forest districts; but about 

 Swellendam it is mingled with it, and keeps to the wooded river-banks. At the Knysna it is 

 abundant, and has the same habits as N. chalybea, being only, perhaps, rather more shy." At 

 Eland's Post it has been obtained by Mr. T. C. Atmore ; and we are informed by Mr. Layard 

 (Ibis, 1868, p. 243) that Mr. W. Atmore found several nests in the Long Kloof, George district, 

 in October. " They were ' well woven with the fibre of Asclepias, grass-bents, snake-skins, and 

 all sorts of odd things, and then filled up with feathers. My boys have taken three or four nests, 

 each with but two eggs ; and I believe that to be the orthodox number.' These are similar in 

 colour (clouded grey-brown) and size to those of the western species N. chalybea." 



It has been collected by Mr. Bickard at Port Elizabeth and at East London. 



In South-eastern Africa it is plentiful and, I think, more evenly distributed. In Natal, 

 according to Mr. T. Ayres (Ibis, 1862, p. 155), "this species is not found immediately on the 

 coast, its range commencing about ten miles inland." During my short stay in the neighbour- 

 hood of Durban, from February to April, I did not meet with this species, it being, as I was 

 informed, migratory, but occasionally resorting there during the breeding-season in July and 

 August ; from Pinetown, some twelve miles distant, 1 have received several specimens collected 

 by Mr. T. L. Ayres. In Mr. Sharpe's cabinet I have examined specimens said to have been 

 collected in the Zambesi district by Mr. Meller, and from Algoa Bay, upon the authority of 

 M. J. Verreaux. 



The illustration represents the adult male and female. 



