CUCKOO- SHRIKES 35 



closely allied Lead-headed Mycatcher (T. plumbeiceps), dis- 

 tinguished by its plain grey head, with hardly any gloss. 



Both species are denizens of forest and bush country. 



At Irene we found them frequenting a thick grove of 

 shady willow trees and poplars growing in the vicinity of 

 the Hennops Eiver ; they may often be seen darting at some 

 unsuspecting insect or flitting from one tree to another with 

 a leisurely, graceful. flight. 



The Paradise Flycatcher is very common in the Grahams- 

 town Kloofs, building a neat little cup-shaped nest of grass 

 and fibres covered on the outside with lichen and moss, 

 which is generally fixed near the end of a branch overhanging 

 a pool or rill. 



The sitting female wiU allow one to approach to within 

 3 feet of her nest, and indeed it would even be possible in 

 some cases to catch her with the hand. 



The Paradise Mycatcher lays three pretty cream-coloured 

 eggs, spotted with pinkish-brown, with sometimes a few 

 additional blotches of purplish. 



The Spotted Mycatcher {Musicapa grisola) is brown above, 

 the feathers of the top of the head with dark centres, giving, 

 this region a mottled appearance. Cheeks and a ring round 

 the eye whitish. Under-parts white, the breast and sides being 

 streaked with brown. Length, about 6 inches. This is a 

 European bird, which migrates to Lidia and South Africa, 

 arriving here about the middle of October and leaving us 

 in April. The Pretoria Zoo. generally contains a good 

 number in the latter month when they are on their way 

 home. 



CUCKOO-SHRIKES 



The Cuckoo-Shrikes (Family GampophagQce) are birds of 

 somewhat retiring habits. 



