24 FEIENDS OF THE AGRICULTURIST 



The young birds and the females have the head and adjacent 

 regions coloured Uke the back. 



Both these birds lay eggs of a very pale blue ground 

 colour (almost white), sparsely speckled with pale rusty- 

 brown, those of the Sentinel Eock Thrush being smaller 

 than those of its larger congener. 



The nest is a saucer-shaped structure of sticks and roots, 

 lined with fine rootlets and hair, and is usually situated 

 in a hole or crevice, or on a ledge under a rock. 



They have a loud, Uvely song, and are chiefly insect-feeders, 

 devouring large numbers of beetles, ants, plant-bugs, &c., 

 varied by a few fruits and seeds. 



One other fairly common species may be noted, the 

 Short-toed Eock Thrush (M. hrempes), from the Western 

 region, ranging from Upington on the Orange River to 

 Southern Damaraland and the Transvaal. It resembles 

 M. explorator, but has a shorter toe. Little is known of 

 its habits. 



CHATS 



A very familiar bird is the Ant-eating Chat {Myrme- 

 cocicJilaformicwora), in its sombre plumage of sooty-brown, 

 and conspicuous white wing patches as it flutters in the air 

 with its feeble flight. It measures about 6| inches in length. 



It is fairly common throughout, although rather locally 

 distributed in some parts. It is commonest on stretches 

 of veld covered with ant-heaps, where it may be seen every- 

 where perched on the " hiUs " or at the entrance to some 

 meercat or aardvark (antbear) burrow. 



The nest is usually in a hole in a burrow or in an excava- 

 tion in an ant-heap, and the eggs are pure white, usually 

 numbering three or four. 



The Buff-streaked Chat (M. Ujasciata) is a handsome 



