The Mont lis Arrivals. 
87 
Crested Rarl)et (7>vzr//j/>Ao««.? cafer). This iare];iiiul strikiii<^ specie* 
is found on the Crocodile River. It is about the size of a huge Ilavvfuicl), 
lias a hhick crest, pale yellow beak tipped with dull red, a yellow throat, 
below which, across the whole width of the chest, extends a large black 
Cl-esceiit. The abdomen is yellow, the rump red a:id the 1)Mck black, spotted 
and barred with while. It has a low whistle. Tlie two specimens now 
imported look like males and may be seen in the New Bird Honse. The 
South African Harbets nest in holes in trees and lay white eggs. They are 
chiefly insectivorous but occasionally consume fiuit. 
The Cape White-eye (Z£>v/<'/o/>5/)rt///Vf</). Of this family vSouth Africa 
possess four species, two of which (Z. vireus and Z. capenais) are common. 
The resemblance of the .South African to the Asiatic forms, such as the 
Chinese White-eye, is striking but, as it is an historical fact than an Aus- 
tralian Zosterops actually succeeded in crossing the 1200 odd miles of open 
sea that divides Australia from New Zealand (where the species now 
flourishesl, there can be nothing improljable in the conjecture that an 
Asiatic species may have found its way to the Dark Continent. Those of 
us who have kept Zos/erops well know that they are delicate little birds, 
and I was not at all surprised to hear that Major Horsbrngh had lost three 
out of five on the vva)' home. Z. pallida is dull olive-green on the back and 
pale buff on the breast, only the throat and under tail-coverts being yellow. 
In the Central Transvaal they may often be seen sipping the nectar 
of the flowers of the Eucalyptus, but they are also very partial to ripe fruit. 
Red-capped I, ark {'iephrocoi ys cine'ea). This slim and graceful bird 
looks more like a Pipit than a Lark. 1 1 is now in the Western Aviary, where 
it may often be seen perched on the highest shelf of the brickwork. It is 
about the size of a Woodlark ; ciovvn, primaries and a singular crescent on 
each side of l)reast all rufous; a pale buff streak above the e\e. 
Three Chestnut-backed Finch-larks (Py) rhtilaiiila stnilhi). 'These, 
together with two Quail-finches, have gone to Mr. St. Ouintin. South 
Africa possesses three species of the Genus Pyi rlinhuHta, namely P. anslralis: 
ear-coverts black ; P. verticalis : ear-coverts white, back grey; P. smilhi : 
ear-coveits white, back dark chestnut. These are charming little birds (I 
have two pairs of P. vei tiailix in n\y own aviar\ ) but they are not such good 
songsters as some of the Asiatic hinch-larks. They feed on seeds, nest 
under tufts of grass and congregate in flocks in the winter. .?;«///// is 
fairly common in the neighbourhood of Hrandfort, Orange River Colony. 
Two male and one female Violet-eaied Waxbills (Graualina "i a?ia/i>ia): 
all three in good condition, but the female is absolutely the most perfect 
specimen I have ever seen. 
Two male and three female .St. Helena Seedeaters [C. flaviveiilris). 
