152 DENIZENS OP THE FOREST 



So far as our experience goes the nest is never placed on 

 the ground, but usually six to ten feet high in the fork of a 

 small tree — ^never in thick bush or kloofs. The eggs, four 

 in number, are white, with most beautiful scroll-like, wavy- 

 lines, forming a wreath round the obtuse ends. The nest is 

 cup-shaped, composed of twigs and grass, and usually neatly 

 lined with long stiff hair or fibres. Its song is rather plaiative 



Pig. 82. — Golden-breasted Bunting at nest. 



and is somewhat similar to that of the European Yellow 

 Hammer. They feed principally on weed seeds. 



The other members of the subfamily are not bush-birds, 

 so we must treat of them under another heading. 



STARLINGS 



We next come to the Sturnidae (Starlings), a fairly large 

 group, amongst which are several birds quite as destructive 



