SHRIKES 167 



They breed early in November, according to Millar, and 

 lay " two or three pretty 'white eggs delicately marked with 

 grey-brown streaks and splashes, principally at the obtuse 

 end." 



The Euddy-breasted Bush Shrike (L. rubigmosus) is olive- 

 green above with reddish-buff under-parts, excepting the 

 abdominal region which is whitish, faintly barred with grey. 

 Length, 7| inches. It ranges through the bush regions of 

 the Cape from George eastwards through Natal and Zulu- 

 land into the Transvaal, where Ayres procured it at Lyden- 

 burg, and C. H. Taylor at Amsterdam. 



It constructs a shallow saucer-like nest of rootlets, &c., 

 which is so slightly built that one can usually see the eggs 

 through it. These are of a very pale creamy-green, speckled 

 and blotched, chiefly at the obtuse end, with pale sienna and 

 pale purplish-slate. 



It is a very shy bird and difficult to see, although its 

 beautiful call can be heard all through the summer months. 

 It nests during December and January. 



The Olive Bush Shrike (L. olivaceus) is like the preceding 

 species above, but is orange yellow on the breast going off 

 into yellowish on the abdomen. 



The pretty little Orange-breasted Bush Shrike (L. sul- 

 phureipectus) can be immediately distinguished by its 

 reddish-orange breast, and by the bright yellow of the 

 remainder of the under-parts. Top of head blue-grey. It 

 ranges as far south as Grahamstown on the east and Lake 

 Nyassa in the centre. 



Alexander, who took its eggs on the Zambesi, records 

 them as three in number and of a greenish white spotted 

 and blotched at the larger end. 



