148 BIRDS OF DAMARA LAND. 



thence moving huniedly on as near to the ground as the 

 locality will admit, so that it is often difficult to flush it 

 a second time. At the Cape, on the contrary, it is very 

 familiar, and is frequently seen perched on the garden 

 walls, whilst it utters a succession of ringing calls which 

 the Dutch liken to the word "Bacbakiri;" but its notes 

 and calls are in fact very varied. 



This Shrike feeds chiefly on insects, but is said oc- 

 casionally to kill and devour young birds ; it hunts for 

 its prey amongst low bushes and on the ground, and 

 runs with great swiftness. It is usually found in pairs, 

 but for some time after the breeding-season the parents 

 are accompanied by their families, which they tend with 

 much care. 



This species builds in thick bushes ; and the eggs, 

 which are four or five in number, of a greenish-blue 

 colour spotted with reddish brown, especially round the 

 thicker end, are incubated by both parents. 



The iris is reddish brown, the bill black, the legs and 

 toes dark lead-colour. 



185. ChlorophoneUS similis (Smith). Yellow-browed Shrike. 



Melaconotus* similis, Smith's Zool. of S. Africa, pi. 46. 

 Laniariiis similis, Layard's Cat. No. 322. 



Melaconotus similis, Chapman's Travels in S. Afr., App, p. 305. 

 Laniarius sulfureipectus, Finsch & Hartlauh's Vbgel Ost-Afrika's, 



p. 356. 

 Chlorophonms similis, Gray's Hand-list of Birds, No. 6047. 

 Laniarius sulfureipectus, Sharpe's Cat. No. 462. 



I have obtained several specimens of this species from 



* The correct spelling of this generic name is Malaconotus. — Ed. 



