196 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



half of March, and in Central Europe not until the last half of March. It 

 is perfectly certain that the Natal Swallows, if they only leave during the 

 first half of April, even allowing only a few days in which to accomplish a 

 journey of five thousand to six thousand miles, must go to some part of 

 North Europe or to North-west Asia, since the Swallows which breed 

 further south have arrived at their breeding-grounds before the South 

 African birds have left their winter quarters. So far as it goes, this 

 evidence is conclusive that, in case of the European Swallow, the in- 

 dividuals which go further north to breed go further south in winter. 



It has been asserted that some European Swallows remain in South 

 Africa through the greater part of the year, and Andersson even asserts 

 that in some uncivilized parts they affix their nests to some projection 

 of a rock or trunk of a tree. More evidence, however, on this point is 

 required. 



Between August and April there can generally be seen about Cape 

 Town and the suburbs large numbers of Black Swifts, flying often at 

 a considerable height above the ground, as is their usual habit. Mr; 

 Layard believed these to be the European Swift, which spends the summer 

 months in Europe, and disappears southwards in August or September. A 

 careful comparison, however, of the European and South African bird 

 seems to show that there are differences between them, the African bird 

 being somewhat larger and darker in colour. Hitherto no authenticated 

 observation on the breeding of the Black Swift in South Africa has been 

 made; but if, as is now supposed to be the case, the South African bird is 

 distinct, it probably does nest somewhere in South Africa, and at any rate 

 the birds from about Cape Town do disappear during the winter months. 

 We do not know where they go to. 



Besides the migrants from Europe who come to South Africa to avoid 

 the northern winter, there are a good many birds whose breeding range is 

 in South Africa, and who migrate northwards during the South African 

 winter, probably to Central Africa ; about the exact migration range of 

 these birds much less is known than about the movements of the European 

 birds. 



Among the more familiar or better known cases are those of the White- 

 throated Swallow, which remains only from August to March ; the Pearl- 

 breasted Swallow ; the large Stripe-breasted Swallow, one of the most 

 familiar of the group, which generally builds its nest — a retort-shaped 

 chamber entirely constructed of mud pellets — over a porch under the 

 shelter of a verandah. Among other groups are the Carmine-breasted 

 Bee-Eater, only found in north of the Vaal River, and the solitary Cuckoo, 

 commonly known as the " Piet Mijn Vrouw." 



All these birds are found in South Africa during the South African 



