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EDITORIAL GLEANINGS. 



Mr. W. L. Sclater, the Director of the South African Museum, has 

 contributed an article to the January number of the 'The Educational 

 News ' of Cape Town on the " Migration of Birds in South Africa." Mr. 

 Sclater estimates that there are about forty-four birds which migrate from 

 Europe to South Africa. 



Passerine Birds. — Golden Oriole, Spotted Flycatcher, Lesser Grey 

 Shrike, Whitethroat, Garden-Warbler, Willow-Wren, Icterine Warbler, 

 Marsh, Great Reed, and Sedge Warblers, Martin, Sand-Martin, Swallow, 

 Yellow Wagtail, Tree-Pipit. 



Picarian Birds. — -Alpine Swift, Common Swift, Nightjar, Roller, Bee- 

 Eater, and Cuckoo. 



Game Bird. — Quail. 



Shore Birds and Waders. — Pratincole, Caspian Plover, Ringed Plover, 

 Kentish Plover, Green Plover, Turnstone, Avocet, Stilt, Great Snipe, 

 Sanderling. Little Stint, Curlew-Sandpiper, Knot, Ruff, Common Wood 

 and Green Sandpipers, Redshanks, Greenshanks, Curlew, and Whimbrel. 



All these birds are summer visitors, only arriving in September and 

 October, and leaving again in April. In most cases, at any rate, they do 

 not breed in South Africa, although this season is the breeding one for 

 other resident birds ; but this is a special point which requires in- 

 vestigation. 



One of the best known of these birds is the English Swallow, which 

 must be carefully distinguished from the many other South African 

 Swallows, many of which are resident and breed in South Africa. It may 

 be known by its red forehead and throat, black-blue upper surface and 

 chest-band, and buff-white abdomen. It is found everywhere in South 

 Africa, from Cape Town to the Zambesi, from November to March ; but 

 when it arrives, after a journey of over six thousand miles, its plumage is 

 much bleached, the throat is nearly white, and the chest-band pale brown. 

 However, before leaving again for the north, it undergoes a complete 

 spring moult, and sets off on its long journey in a complete new set of 

 feathers. 



In Natal Mr.' Seebohm has observed that the Swallows remain till the 

 first week in April, while other observers state that they arrive in North 

 Africa during the last half of February, in South Europe during the first 



