112 
NATURAL HISTORY NOTES 
to the ornithologist, as at first might be supposed, as you are 
forever climbing up to empty nests or ones that are inhabited 
by ants, which is a great deal worse. Honey-suckers were 
hovering over the sisal poles, removing the nectar till the 
last glimpse of daylight. 
About a heap of stable rubbish, hay, and manure, hundreds 
of blue hornets ( Scotia ruficornis) with red antennae were 
flying with ceaseless activity, and, as far as I could find out, 
without any object. Occasionally one would rest on a heap 
or on the grass and clean its antennae and then resume the 
giddy whirl. Under the verandah roof two species of long- 
waisted black and yellow wasps were building their paper 
nests. The larger was Sceliphron syirifex and the smaller 
S. quarantine. 
February 27, 1915. — Cycled out to Kyambu, about ten 
miles ; roads awful, dust three inches deep ; frequently deeper 
holes with big stones in them hidden by the dust. This is 
all due to the heavy bullock-wagons and the sharp hooves 
of the animals, which may be seen cutting up the road. Saw 
a duiker, an eagle, and several la^rge hawks, one of which 
I believe was the African peregrine. Also saw two brilliant 
bee-eaters and a roller. Only two of the many weaver 
birds’ nests examined contained eggs. Apparently both 
were those of the golden-faced weaver ( Ploceus xanthous) ; 
the one, however, was pale blue, and the other pale blue with 
red spots. There were two eggs of the latter. One nest 
contained young, and another which had been blown down 
held dead young ones. 
In climbing a tree to recover a Peter’s glossy starling 
(Lamyrocolius sycobius) which my companion had shot, I was 
fiercely attacked by ants, which got inside my shirt and gave 
me as bad a time as wasps would in England, only that the 
pain went off soon. They seemed to make a special set for 
my arm-pits. The labourers had killed two snakes, a Boodon 
and a Psammo'phis, both badly smashed. 
March IB, 1915. — Went out on the plains, where I found 
the skulls of a mule, zebra ( Equus burchelli Granti), and harte- 
beest ( Bubalis Cokei), besides many others not worth the 
taking. Caught two voles in nest, also a skink ( Mabuia varia). 
