XXXI 
[Vol. X. 
will enter the verandahs and hill the pet birds there sus- 
pended in their cages. Two instances of the death of 
canaries in this way occurred dui’ing my stay in Capetown. 
^I'he Olivaceous Thrush {Turdus olivaceus), the ^ Sprew ^ 
Starling {Amydnis nurio), the so-callcd Cape ^Robin’ {Cos- 
sypha caffra), and the Bakhakiri Bush-Shrike [Laniarius 
bakbakiri) are four other species that are occasionally seen 
in the gardens of the town and suburbs, but I should not 
call any one of them abundant. The Olivaceous Thrush picks 
about on the ground like our Song-Thrush, and the Bush- 
Shrike has somewhat similar habits, but attracts attention 
by a variety of sweet whistling notes and is said to have 
imitative faculties. 
“ A loquat-tree {Photinia japonica) with ripening fruit is 
the most likely place to see the Cape Bulbul [Pycnonotus 
capensis). The ridiculous claim of this bird to figure in the 
British List should be scouted by all sensible persons. It 
is a strictly local South-African species and does not range 
far north. 
‘'^The pretty Yellow Weaver-bird {Sitagra capensis) I was 
delighted to find, busy in constructing its excessively neat 
hanging nests in many gardens of the city axrd suburbs. 
One small community had selected a willow-tree close to 
the Public Librai’y, near the celebrated Oak-walk, for the 
purpose. I never failed to stop as I passed by every day to 
admire the sprightly and active way in whieh these little birds 
exercised their craft. In another spot the ill-advised builders 
had selected a bunch of papyrus-stalks in an ornamental 
pond for the seat of their operations. So soon as the nest 
was complete the weight of the structure broke the papyrus 
down and caused the fall of stalk and nest into the water 
beneath. But the indefatigable birds would take no heed of 
this event and only commenced their fruitless work again 
on an adjoining stalk. 
“ In a garden at Sea-point, the marine suburb of Capetown, 
I was nmch delighted, on an afternoon in September, to 
witness the proceedings of a small flock of Colies (believed 
to have been Colins capensis). They were creeping about in 
