379 
during a journey to the Matahili Country. 
Buphaga africana, L. 
$. Matabili, September 23rd, 1873. 
Beak, base yellow, tip red; legs black; iris orange-red. 
Common in the north of the Transvaal right up into the 
Matabili country. This bird is a great nuisance at times to 
cattle, from its habit of pecking holes in them; they run 
over a bullock as easily as a Woodpecker on a tree, picking 
out the ticks which infest them. Over a bullock's back you 
may see three or four of these birds' heads reconnoitering you 
on your approach; so tame are they, that the one in question 
was killed by one of our natives, with a stick, from a horse's 
back. This species is continually with the Rhinoceros, and 
when the animal is disturbed, the birds hover over it as it 
runs, keeping up a continual twitter. 
Corvus albicollis, Lath. : Layard, p. 167. 
Corvus scapulatus, Daud.: Layard, p. 168. 
Both equally common, affecting the open plains and neigh¬ 
bourhood of towns more than the bush-country. 
Corvus segetum, Temm. 
Not nearly so common as the two preceding species, nor 
did I ever observe them in flocks. 
Textor erythrorhynchus. Smith. 
c 3 . Transvaal: July 16, 1873. 
Beak red; legs red; iris dark hazel. 
Yery common on the Limpopo, where they are to be found 
in winter in flocks, and in summer breeding in the largest 
trees along the river-bank. Their nests are very large, and 
seem to be composed of sticks; but as the trees in which 
they build are very thorny, like nearly every tree in Africa, 
I was unable to examine them. These birds breed in small 
colonies. 
Hyphantornis capitalis (Lath.). 
a, b, S . Limpopo, November 22nd & 23rd, 1873. 
Bill black; legs flesh-coloured; iris dark hazel. 
Not observed on my way up the country; so it perhaps only 
comes here to nest. These birds breed in colonies, a tree by 
