226 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



and to-day (April 19th) one Chaffinch. Why ? Surely, surely the awful 

 climatic conditions. The climatic conditions, I consider, may be easily 

 imagined by those who live in more favoured climes by the simple state- 

 ment, " No birds singing "; to which I appeud the rider : Trout are not in 

 condition when birds are not in song, in late seasons like this spring of 

 1899. — J. A. Harvie Brown (Draehlaw, Turriff, Aberdeen). 



REPTILIA. 



Notes on the Cape Monitor (Varanus albigularis). — The Cape 

 Monitor seems to be fairly plentiful in the Transvaal, judging from this 

 district. I have often come upon them basking in the hot sunshine on the 

 bank of a " spruit " (rivulet). When disturbed by a human intruder they 

 will leap into the water with a "flop." On Aug. 1st, 1898, I found in a 

 female twenty-four eggs of a dull white colour, not unlike snake's eggs, and 

 oval in form, about the same thickness as a fowl's egg, but considerably 

 longer. I have seen a couple in confinement for some time now. One 

 was an old one (the largest I have seen here), and was quite ugly (presumably 

 with age), the skin being rough, the colour very dirty-looking and faded. It 

 has been like that ever since it has been in captivity, now some nine months. 

 This one measured about four feet in length. It was very sluggish in its 

 movements, and, when teased or even approached, would emit a sort of 

 hissing sound, and lash out with its tail. I had a younger one also, not 

 more than eighteen inches long. This little reptile was very "slippery" 

 and shy. When come upon suddenly in its favourite occupation of lying 

 in the hot sun, it would dart in among the stones which formed its home 

 like a " flash of lightning," figuratively speaking. These specimens lived 

 on raw beef, also Crabs and Frogs. Though they had a tank of water, they 

 were found more often out of, than in it. — Alwin C. Haagner (Dynamite 

 Factory, Modderfontein, Transvaal). 



[All the Monitors which I found around Pretoria belonged to the species 

 V. niloticus. I am glad to learn that Mr. Haagner's experience in keeping 

 V. albigularis in captivity was more satisfactory than mine in reference to 

 the first named species. — Ed.] 



