86 THE farmer's foes 



enemies of the farmer. Indeed, their depredations to the 

 fig and apricot crops in the Transvaal are beyond forbearance, 

 as they present themselves directly the fruit commences to 

 ripen, and devour aU those which ripen first, just as the 

 fruit is " on the turn," and scarcely fit yet for human con- 

 sumption. 



These Bulbuls are the favourite hosts of the Jacobin, 

 Black and White, and Crested Cuckoos. 



Although great fruit eaters, they are the first birds to 

 warn one of the proximity of a snake, and they consume 

 a fair amount of insects, especially when feeding their 

 young. 



We can do no better than give an excerpt of the key by 

 Dr. B. Hartert, in " Novitates Zoologicse " (" On the 

 African forms of the Genus Pycnonotus ") : — 



I. Pycnonotus barbatus. Eyelid feathered. 



a. P. b. tricolor. South-West Africa— North to the Congo. 



(Under tail-coverts yellow ; crown brown.) 

 6. P. b. layardi. Eastern Cape Colony, northwards to Lake 

 Nyassa. 



(Under tail-ooverts yellow ; crown black.) 



II. Pycnonotus capensis. Eyelids protruding, wattle-like. 

 a. P. c. capensis. Southern parts Cape Colony. 



(Eyelid mostly whitish; underside brownish, paler in the 

 middle of the abdomen.) 

 6. P. c. nigricans. Central Cape Colony, northwards to Transvaal 

 in the East and Benguda in the West. 



(Under-surface, except throat, whitish ; crown black. Eyelid 

 bright reddish, or " chrome-orange.") 



These birds are of a general dark brown colour above and 

 are known by various " local " or vernacular names, such 

 as " Tiptol " in the Eastern Cape, " Geelgat " or " Kuifkop " 

 of the Dutch, " Topknot " or " Black Head " in Natal. 

 It is also occasionally called the " Blackcap." 



