420 Mr. W. L. Sclater on Birds collected 
blackish brown above, thickly spotted with pale fulvous ; the 
secondaries shew a little white edging, and the tail is white- 
tipped. Below it is white, stippled with black. 
[I have seen this species in the Cape Peninsula (where it 
is plentiful), in Zululand, and in the North-Eastern Trans¬ 
vaal ; from all these localities specimens were secured. I 
have also noted it at Pretoria, where I have observed it in 
the grounds of the Zoological Garden. 
This bird has more the habits of a Shrike than those of a 
f lycatcher, and it is very fond of sitting on the top of some 
bush or small tree after the manner of Lanius collaris , for 
which at a short distance it can easily be mistaken; in fact, 
many colonists will tell you that it is one and the same bird, 
and call it by the local name of the Shrike. 
It breeds in the summer season, and probably has two 
broods, as I have taken the eggs in the Cape Peninsula in 
September and shot young birds in January in the North- 
Eastern Transvaal, unless it breeds later in the latter locality, 
which is just possible. 
I took the nest and three eggs on the 19th of September 
at the Cape ; this was placed about ten feet from the ground 
in the fork of a small bush forming part of a hedge bordering 
a by-road. The nest was cup-shaped and composed of twigs 
of heather and wild sage, lined with chicken-feathers and 
downy seeds. The old birds were quite jealous, and were 
easily procured. It has a loud call and a sort of song. 
The soft parts are :—Irides brown ; bill, legs and toes 
black. In the young the bill and legs are darkish brown, 
and the gape is yellow. 
In an immature male in second plumage the bill and legs 
and toes are not of so deep a black as in the adult.] 
340. Muscicapa grisola. 
P, Beira, Nov. 29, Dec. 31, Feb. 7 (3). 
[I have only noted the European Spotted Flycatcher in 
the Beira district, where it was quite numerous during 
the summer. Its habits are too well-known to need 
repetition.] 
