SiiyJcKi; :r,ftn i-'UH %•.-., ., ;; -

FOR THE PEOPLE

FOR EDVCATION

FOR SCIENCE

LIBRARY

OF

THE AMERICAN MUSEUM

OF

NATURAL HISTORY

Bound at
lA.MN.HJ

THE JOURNAL

OF THE

' IINIIIN,

EDITED BY
ALWIN HAAGNER, F.Z.S., and B. C. R. LANGFORD.

VOLUME X.

PUBLISHED BY
THE UNION IN PRETORIA, TRANSVAAL.

LONDON AGENTS :

WITHERBY & CO., 326 HIGH HOLBORN, W.C.
1915.

n-i'^'A-^'?.-3'oJLu 2

PREFACE.

ali^c^

The Editors regret the belated appearance of this
number of the Journal, as well as tlie fact that only
one number has appeared for 1914. The MSS. of
this number was sent off to London in June, but for
some unaccountable reason not quite clear to us, the
proofs were only received in December, which made
the issue of a second number impossible. The war
and the unrest in our own country has been the cause
of reducing our subject-matter, as many of our
Members are with the Government troops. To all
the Members of the S. A. O. U. we tender our best
wishes for a prosperous 1915 ; and we trust that our
Union will prosper and grow.

THE EDITOES.

Pretoria,
December 31st, 1914.

SUBJECT-MATTER INDEX,
INCLUDING NAMES OF CONTRIBUTORS

Page

' Aquila/ Vol. xx. 1913, noticed 33

< Ardea,' Journal of the Netherlands Ornithologists' Society noticed . 33
Avifauna of the Matatiele Uist., E. Griqualand. Additions to

list of 6

Birds collected and observed in Zinibiti Dist., Port. E. Africa .... 1

of the Sabi Dist., East Transvaal 8

Breeding in captivity of the Kurrichaine Button Quail 19

British Birds : New List (Notice from the ' Field ') '23

, noticed 33

Davies, C. G. Additions to the List of the Avifauna of the

Matatiele Dist. of East Griqualand 6

East Africa and Uganda Natural History Society, Journal noticed . 33

' Emu,' Journal of the Australasian Ornith. Union, noticed 32

riower, Capt. S. S. Report of Zoological Service of Egypt

for 1912 32

Game- and Water-Birds of the Pretoria Bushveld 15

Haagner, A. K., on the Game- and Water-Birds of the Pretoria

Bushveld lo

' Ibis ' : Quarterly Journal of Ornithology, noticed 31

Ingle, J. C, List aud notes of Birds of Sabi Dist., East Transvaal. . 6

Kurrichaine Button Quail. Breeding in captivitv of 19

Langford, B. C. R. Singular Plumage of young Female Lanner . . 5

Lanner, Singular Plumage of young Female G

Matatiele District. Additions to List of Avifauna of 0

Mors, F. E. O. On the Breeding in captivity of the Kuvrichaiup

Button Quail 19

VI SUBJECT-MATTER INDEX.

Page
Notes on some of the Game- and Water-Birds of the Pretoria

Eushveld 15

Occasional Notes 22

Phmiage of young Female Lanner 5

Pretoria Bnshveld, Game- and Water-Birds of 15

Proceedings of the Union 34

Report of the Zoological Service of Egypt for 1912, noticed ' 32

Sabi District, Birds of the 8

Sheppard, P. A. Additional list of Birds of Zimbiti District .... 1

Short notices of the Ornithological publications 31

Singular Plumage of young Female Lanner 5

Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections noticed 34

Swallow, Wonderful flight of 22

Witherby, H. F. Wonderful flight of Swallow 22

Zimbiti District, Port. East Africa, Birds of 1

Zoo (Pretoria) New Director, Appointment of 30

THE JOURNAL

OF THE

SOOTH AFRICAN ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION.

Vol. X. DECEMBER 1914. No. 1.

I. — Additional List of] and J^otes on Birds collected and
observed in Zimhiti District 22 miles from Beira, P. E. A,
Bj P. A. Sheppard.

209. Hypochera funerea. (Black Widow Fincli.)
Quite a number passed throu(;h here on Dec. 25 and 2(j^

1908, migrating south (I saw none after those dates). Thej
were in company with Q. er^throj'S. All six specimens pro-
cured appeared to be moulting, as a number of white feathers
are in all of them ; and some of the males are very handsome
in their blue and white colouring underneath. They were
feeding on grass-seeds.

210. EsTRiLDA SUBFLAYA. (Orange-breasted Waxbill.)
Not particularly plentiful and appearing in small flocks.

211. Pyrenestes grantii. (Grant^s Weaver Finch.)
Decidedly rare. I have procured about half a dozen

specimens and seen a few others. This species appears to
haunt the thick herbage along the small streams in and about
this locality, where I have shot all my specimens. They are
not particularly shy, and their brilliant crimson heads shou'
lip very clearlv. They feed on various grasses.

1

2 Mr. P. A. Shoppard oh Birds

212. Telephonussenegalus. (Black-headed Busli Sliiike.)
The commonest shrike in the district. I have often

"watched them chasing one another about on the ground
when three or four get togotlier. They are extremely lively
birds and no matter what the weather is, their calling and
whistling may be heard all day long. Sitting on a stump
or lo\v bough of a bush a pair will call to one another for
several minutes. Some of their notes are very powerful
and clear, while others are decidedly mournful. They feed
on grassiio];)pers and other insects about the plantation here
and undoubtedly do a great deal of good. I have not seen
them molesting other small birds. When flvino; the tail is
usually expanded.

213. COSSYPHA NATALENSI8. (Natal Robin C'hat.)

I have only seen and shot two specimens, both in the
thick undergrowth of the forest.

21 Jt. CossYPHA HEUGLiKi. (Heuglin's Robin Chat.)
Rare. Two specimens were procured in thickets near a

swamp and another in a ])atcli of low-lying thick forest.

Extremely shy and difficult to shoot. They have a ])eauti-

ful sono-.

215. Bkadyornis ATEEi. ( Black Flycatcher.)

1 have only procured one female, the nesting of which
is described elsewhere. 1 am uncertain whether they are
plentiful about here or not, as they are very much like the
two " Drongos^' in appearance and habits.

216. Cypselus caffek. (African Swift.)

Two specimens shot. This bird is not plentiful, and as far
as my observations go, not resident.

On Dec. 31, 1909, a flight of 40 to GO flew over, remaining
an hour or so about the ])lantation and then going south ; it
was raining heavily and the wind was N.E.

217. CosMETORNiS VEXiLLARius. (Standard AVing
Nightjar.)

I saw a })air in open woods on Nov. 13, 1909. The male
had the extraordinary long wing feathers and appeared to be

from the Zimblfl District, P.E.A. 3

a very fine specimen. Both birds were extremely shy and
impossible to get a shot at, although I stalked them for a long
time. Both eventually tlew into thick forest and sat on the
bouohs of laroe trees at least 30 ft. from the ground. Their
position when seated was parallel with the bough.

218 CucuLUS soLiTARius. (Red-chested Cuckoo.)

I have only seen one specimen and this was near a nest of

" Eri/thropugia quadririrf/nta," which contained one egg of

C. sodtariu.f. 1 could not procure the bird.

210, (-HIIYSOCOCCYX KLAAsi. (Brouze Cuckoo.)
A male shot on the 23. 0. Oi). It is rai-e here. One other
was seen.

220. Chrysococcyx cltreus. (Golden Cuckoo.)

One young bird was shot, a male, on Id. 1. 06, near the sea-
coast.

221. Scops capensis. (Cape Scops Owl.)

A female was shot on 24. G. 07 in a mangrove swamp.

222. Baza verreauxi. (Cuckoo Falcon.)

A male was shot at the nest on 11. 11.09. I have seen a
few others, but should say it is not l)y any means a plentiful
species.

223. AsTURiNULA MONOGRAMMiCA. (African Buzzard
Eagle.)

By no means uncommon, frequenting woods, and it may
often be seen on a dead tree or perched on a stump on toj) of
an ant hill on the plantation, w^atching for rats and insects.
I have often observed them pick up locusts and large grass-
hoppers. Usually seen singly but sometimes in pairs. The
call is very harsh and loud. Their flight is short, straight,
with very quick beats of the wings.

224. Elanus c.eruleus. (Black-shouldered Kite.)
One male shot on 15. 12. OG in thick woods.

225. AcciPiTER MiNULLUS, (Little Sparrow-Hawk.)
One male shot on 8.9.07 in thick woods.

1*

i Jiird^s front the Zinihiti l)'u<h''ut, J\E.A.

22(j. Phalacrocorax africanus. (African Cormorant.)
Two specimens were procured, both in the river-bed. I
have seen many others, but always singly.

227. Abdimia ABDiMii. ( Whito-belHed Stork.)

A large number of these birds passed over us on Oct. 17,
1909, following a swarm of locusts which were flying due
south ; many of the birds came quite low down and could be
easily distinguished.

228. Tympanistria bicolor. (Tambourine Dove.)
Fairly plentiful round here, especially near the plantation,

where I have shot several examples. They were feeding on
castor-oil seeds, which they appear to be very fond of. They
are very shy and difficult to get a shot at.

229. Haplopelia larvata. (Cinnamon Dove.)
A])parently very scarce ; I have only shot one male on

22. 11.09 — but saw another ; both were on the outskirts o£
a thick forest and feeding on the ground. The crop of the
bird 1 shot was full of bamboo-seeds.

230. LiMNOCORAX NIGER. (Black Crake.)

One young bird (sex ?) shot 10. 11.0(3. One female shot
20. 9. 08.

Both were procured in the reed-beds in a swamp.

231. PODICA PETERSi. (Peter's Finfoot.)

A female was caught in the river-bed on the 10th December,
1908.

J have seen one other.

232. Glareola pratixcola. (Blac'c- winged Pratincole.)
A male was shot on 23. 8. 08.

233. Squatarola helvetica, (Grey Plover.)
A female shot 8.1.07.

234. ^GiALiTis TRicOELARis. (Three-collared Plover.)

A female shot 21. 4. 08 on a swamj)y piece of land on the
plantation, where I saw several for about a week, but have
not come across any since then.

235. ToTANUS GLOTTIS. (Greoiisliank.)
A female shot 8. 1. 07.

Journ, S. Afr. Orn, Union, Vol. X. PI. I.

[To face p. 5.

PhnnariP hi Female Laiuier

II. — Shigular Plumaf/e in young Female Lanner
(F. biarniicus). By B. 0. R. Laxgford.

(Plate L)

In October last three nestlino- Lanners were brought to the
Pretoria Zoological Gardens from the Waterberg ; two of
them, a male and a female, are of the usual rich brown
colour, but the third, also a female, differs so considerably
from the normal type as to be worth describing.

The head as usual, except that the dark patch on forehead
is bisected transversely by a row of minute grey spots.

Cere and orbits blue ; legs and feet greenish yellow. The
claws, at first almost white, have now become dark horn.

All the under plumage as usual, but the longitudinal
markings are blackish rather than brown and are, each of
them, faintly barred and spotted with grey.

The general colour of the upper plumage is like that of the
adult, a dark slate. The mantle and shoulders are distinctly
barred on every feather with very pale grey.

Tlie major and primary coverts clouded with grey which,
near the tip of the feather, concentrates into a distinct
annular, almost white, spot. The primaries are dark brown —
the first two plain — the remainder, somewhat broadly margined
with gvey, are stained with the same colour and have an
annular whitish spot near the tip. The ovale bars on the
inner webs are white.

The tail is fuscous tipped with buff and has a cloudy
subtorminal grey band.

From the irregularity of the markings everywhere except
on the back and shoulders the bird has a somewhat pied
appearance, and the whole plumage appears blanched and
faded and, though at the present time the bird is highly fed
and apparently in good health, has none of the gloss usually
to be seen.

Is this a case of partial albinism, hybridism, or is it merely
a "sport"?

Young Sakers {F. rherrvf). a not distantly allied species,

6 Sergt. 0. G. Davies on the

sometimes exhibit great peculiarities of plumage, peculi-
arities which often J though not always^ disappear at the
first moult*.

It would appear from an old writer that the European
Lanner {F. lanarius) sometimes differed from the usual type.
Nicholas Cos, in the ' Gentleman's Recreation,' 1677, page
2 13, says, "there are a sort of lanners which eyerie in the

Alps, having tlieir heads white and flat aloft tlieir

mail is marble or russet, their breast-feathers white and full
of russet spots, the poijits and e.vtrennties of their feathers full
of white drops." The italics are mine. 1 have always con-
sidered this description as more or less mythical, but am
not now disposed to do so. Allowance being made for the
general difference in ground-colour between lanarius and
hiarniicus the description ap[)lies pretty well to the present
bird, and the last sentence is ])articularly significant.
Through the kindness of Mr. A. Haagtier, the Director of
the Zoological Gardens, this bird is now in my possession,
and at the time of writing is flying to the lure daily and
promises to tm-n out well.

If, instead of having been taken alive, it had been shot
after leaving the nest it might (and with some reason)
have been described as a new South African falcon !

III. — Additions to tlie List of the Avifauna of the Matatiele
District. By C. G. Dayies, M.B.O.U. (Sgt. S.A.M.R.).

I HAVE the pleasure of recording two interesting additions
to the Avifauna of this district.

(1) A specimen of the Grey-headed Kingfisher {Ilalcijon
swaiyisoni) shot on the farm "Guildford" in this district in
1911. This is a young bird in the first year's plumage. This
is, I believe, the first record of this species from ( "ape Colony.

* See the ' Baz-naiiia-yi jSM-iii,' a Tersian Irealit-e on falconry,
J.t-Ci)l. Phillott's Iraii.^latioD, page 49 (iiule).

Ac'i fauna of the Mataiu'le l>htnct. 7

(2) A spechnen of a Harrier-Eagle. Shot on tlie same
farm on the 5. 10. 13. I am in doubt whether to refer this
specimen to Circaetus pectoralis or C. cinereus, but rather
incline to refer it to the hitter, for the following reasons,
viz.: — It has all the appearance of C cinereus, and although
I have no instrument for taking accurate measurements, the
bill appears to be larger and stronger looking than in
C, pectoralis ; also, although it is a joung bird^ the new
feathers appearing seem to be a uniform dark brown as in
C. cinereus. As the young of C. cinereus appears to b3
imdescribed, perhaps a short description of this specimen
M'ould be of interest.

Description. — Head creamy white on thecrown; the feathers
liave narrow brown shaft-stripes, and towards the nape the
feathers become brown subterminally, the amount of broAvn
increasing as the mantle is apjn-oached ; round the back of
the ear-coverts the feathers are shaded with dark brown^and
down the centre of the throat the feathers have dark shaft-
streaks. The mantle, scapulars, all the wing-coverts dark
brown edged with fulvous, rather more rufous on the lesser
wing-coverts. Secondaries ashy brown indistinctly barred
with darker brown and ti|iped with white ; the primaries
the same colour, but the larger ones almost black lor the
terminal third and the inner ones broadly tipjied with white.
Tail-coverts like the rest of the upper surface but rather
paler ; tail dark ashy brown, wath faint indications of four or
five darker bands; all the feathers tipped with rufous white.
Under surface white ; all the feathers wdth terminal or sub-
terminal bands of pale rufous, the breast being almost
uniform pale rufous, as the white bases of the feathers do not
show. Under wing-coverts white with subterminal bars of
rufous; tibial plumes the same Init brighter than rest of under
surface. Bill bluish grey, black at tip. Cere and ga})e bluLsh*
Irides yellow tinged with orange-chestnut round the pupil.
Legs and feet dirty wdiite. Length 27", wing 20^. Sex ?

I have also lately shot an albinistic specimen of the Cape
Quail, ? . Head mostly white with a few white feathers
scattered about throughout the rest of the plumage.

8 Capt. J. C. Tnglc on Birds fvom

IV. — Birds collected and observed in tlie Sahi District of the
Transvaal. Bj Captuiii J. C. Ingle, F.Z.S.

The Sabi District is comprised of the country through
"which the Sabi Biver runs. The river rises in the Drakens-
berg Mountains, on the eastern slopes, about three hours' ride
from the town of Lydenburg. The first 20 miles or so of its
course is through rough hilly country much cut up by deep
kloofs, some of which are densely wooded. Lower down in
the foot-hills the country is still much broken, but the hills
and kloofs get smaller, until ultimately the river flows out
into and through the " bush-veld " proper and the Sabi
Game lieservej then through the Lebombo Mountains and
into the Portuguese Territory.

Bird-life is often plentiful and varied, but my laclc of
knowledge of the local avifauna, as well as the want of
literature on the subject^ accounts for the smallness of this
list.

Those species marked with an asterisk were collected by
me and sent to Mr. Haagner.

Anas sparsa. (Black Duck.) — Common.

Plectropterus gambensis. (S{)ur-wing Goose.) — Only
seen here during the wet season.

*CuRSORius temmincki. (Lesser Courser.) — Barely seen
in this district. A small flock of ten, seen on the 4th
March, 1910, were the only ones I have met with during
many years of travelling and i-esiding in tlie Sabi. These
were feeding upon insects in a cattle kraal, and I obtained
two specimens, the stomachs of which contained insects.
Iris dark brown.

*Stephanibyx coronatus. (Crowned Lapwing.) — This
bird is only seen here sparingly during the winter months
after the grass has been burnt, and then usually only in pairs.
Iris yellowish brown. Legs coral-red. This species is also
found throughout the Eastern Bushveld. I saw 'H /locks (for
the first time) in January 1912 on the farm Roodewal.

the Sail District, Transvaal. 9

CEoiCNEMUS CAPENsis. (Cape Thickknee.) — Rare.

*Tringoides HYroLEUCOS. (Common Sandpiper.) — Rare.
I have only seen two of these birds during a period of four
years, one of which I shot in a cattle kraal. It was moultiiio-,
and had a flight like a Sandpiper. Its stomach contained
insects. Iris nearly black. Legs olivaceus green tinged
with brown.

Otis kori, (Giant Bastard.) — Uncommon. This is
purely a *' Bush\eld " bird. They sometimes get excessively
fat. One I shot many years ago just pulled the spring-
balance below the 40 lbs. notch.

Otis afroides. (White-quilled Bustard.) — Not un-
common.

Otis melanogaster. (Black-bellied Bustard.) — Not
common.

Anthropoides paradisea. (Blue Crane). — Rare. Only
two seen.

Pterocles bicinctus. (Double-banded Sandgrouse.) — I
found eggs of this species in the Bushveld in the month of
July ; also fully fledged young birds.

Theristicus hagedash. (Green Ibis.) — Fairly common.

CiCONiA CICONIA. (White Stork.) — An occasional visitor.

Scopus umbretta. (Hammerhead.) — Occasionally seen
along the banks of the Sabi River.

*BuTORiDES atricapillus. (Green-backed Heron.) — Rare.
Two individuals flew out of a hole in the river- bank
(Umtincho River) on the 12th November, 1911, one of which
1 shot. The stomach contained a frog and the remains
of water-beetles. Iris yellow. Legs lemon-yellow. Some-
times when disturbed it utters a single harsh croaking note.

Herodias brachyrhy>;cha. (Yellow-billed Egret.) —
Rare.

10 Capt. J. ('. Ingle on Birds from

ViNAGO DELALANDEi. (Cape Fruit Pigeon.) — Connnon
in the forests of the lower altitudes.

CoLUMBA PH.EOKOTA. (Rock Pigeon or Speckled Pigeon.)
— Common in the ripening cornfields of the higher altitudes.

TuRTUR SEMiTORQUATUS. (Red-eycd Turtle-Dove.) —
Rare. Only one seen and shot.

TuRTUR CAPICOLA. (Cape Turtle-Dove.) — Common.

Tympanistria tympanistria. (Tamljourine Dove.) —
Scarce. Only found in the bush.

Chalcopelia afra. (Metallic-spotted Dove.) — Connnon.

NuMiDA CORONATA. (Crovvned Guinea Fowl.) — Common
in parts; does a lot of damage to the grain-crops.

Pternistrs swainsoni. (Northern Red-necked Pheasant.)
— Common in the scrub of the valleys amongst the foot-hills.

Francolinus afer. (Grey-winged Francolin.) — Common;
found on the lower ridges of the hills.

Francolinus lev^aillanti. (Cape Redwing Francolin.) —
Common on the mountain tops.

Francolinus coqut. (Coqui Francolin.) — Common on the
lower foot-hills and in the bushveld.

AcciPiTER MiNULLUS. (Little Sparrow-Hawk.) — Connnon.

Spizaetus bellicosus. (Martial Hawk-Eagle.) — Rare.

LoPHCETUS occipitalis. (Crested Hawk-Eagle.) — Rare.

CercHlNEIS rupicola. (South African Kestrel.) —
Common.

Asio nisuklla. (Marsh Owl.) — Fairly common.

Pisorhina capensis. (Cape Scops OwL) — Rare.

Strix flammea maculata. (Cape Barn Owl.) — (Common.

Strix capensis. (Grass Owl.) — Rare. It is sometimes
flashed by dogs, in the long grass of the vleis.

tlie Sahi ]Jist)'i<'t, 'rransvaal. 11

Chiz.erhis concolok. (Grey Lourie.) — Common in the
bushveld.

Gallirex porph\reolophus. (Pnrple-cresteJ Lourie.)
— Common in the forests of the lower foot-hills.

TuRACUs coRYTHAix. ((ytipe Lourie.) — Common in the
forests on the higher mountain slopes.

*Centropus GRiLLi c.ERrLEiCEPS. (Nutal Coucal.) — Fairly-
common, but not easy to locate. Native name " Ifookwe.'^
It inhabits the scrub, and is very partial to vleis with plenty
of dry cover alongside. Flight low^ and weak; they seem to
fall into a bush instead of alighting. Contents of stomachs
of two procured, grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars. Iris
dark brown. Legs dark shite. Lower mnndil)le pide flesh-
colour. Upper mandible tip pale flesh darkening to blackish
at base.

Indicator major. (Yellow-throated Honeyguide.)— Not
connnon.

Trichol^ma leucomelan. (Pied Barbet.) — Fairly
common.

*Geocolaptes olivaceus. (Ground Woodpecker.) — Un-
common, but local. They always seem to hang about the
banks of old watercourses or dongas. They have a harsh
note, wdiich is easily distinguished when one has once learnt
to know- it. One collected contained small red ants. L'is
salmon pink. Legs pale greenish slaty blue.

Dendropicos guineensis. (Cardinal Woodpecker.) — •
Local.

*CoLius striatus minor. (Lesser Speckled Coly.) —
Common.

CoLius iNDicus. (Red-faced Coly.) — Rare.

Apaloderma naRINA. {Sarina trogon.) — A rare bird.
Only seen on three occasions in the dense bushes of the
mountain slopes.

12 C;ipt. J. C*. Ingle ov Birds from

CoRACiAs CAUDATUS. (Lilac-breastcd Roller. J — Common
in the ])ushveld.

BucoRVUS CAFER. (Grountl Hornbill.) — Common in the
busliveld, where its booning notes may often be heard.

LoPHOCEROS ERYTHRORHYNCHUS. (Red-billed Hornbill.) —
Common in the bush veld.

Halcyon cyanoleucus. (Angola Kingfisher.) — Fairly
common.

CoRYTHORNis CYANOSTIGMA. (Malachite Crested King-
fisher.)— Not uncommon.

*Alcedo semitorquata. (FTalE-collared Kingfisher.) —
Rare.

Ceryle rudis. (Pied Kingfisher.) — (*ommon.

Ceryle maxima. (Giant Kingfisher.) — Rare.

Melittophagus meridionalis. (Little Bee-eater.) — A
few seen.

Merops apiaster. (European Bee-eater.) — Common.
Breeds here.

Merops nubicoides. (Carmine-breasted Bee-eater.) —
Arrives in the Bushveld in November and leaves early in
April.

Upupa africana. (African Hoopoe.) — Sparingly seen.

Caprimulgus pectoralis. (South African Nightjar.) —
Common.

*Caprimulgus trimaculatus. (Freckled Nightjar.) —
Common. One collected. Stomach contained insects. Iris
dark brown. Legs dark pinkish drab.

Batis molitor. (White-flanked Flycatcher.) — A few
seen.

TcHiTREA perspicillata. (Paradise Fly-catcher.) — Not
uncommon.

the Said J )idrict, Transvaal. 13

*NiLAiTS BRUBRU. (Brubru Bush-Shrike.) — Rather rare and
solitary. Contents of stomach, insects.

PoMATORHYNCHUS AUSTRALis. (Three-streaked Bush-
Shrike.) — Rare.

Dryo3COPUS cubla. (TiBsser puff-back Shrike.) — Rare.
Only two seen.

*Lanius collaris humeralis. (Northern Fiskal Shrike.) —
Fairly common. Three collected. Iris dark brown. Lpgs
slaty bine-black. Contents of stomachs, beetles and other
insects— also larvae.

Urolestes MELANOLEUcrs. (Loiig-tailed Bush-Shrike.) —
(Jommon in the Bush\eld.

CoRVUS SCAPULATUS. (Pied Crow.) — Rare.
CoRVULTUR ALBicoLLis. ( White-necked Raven.) — Rare.
DiCRURUS AB'ER. TFork-tailed Drongo.) — Not uncommon.
Oriolfs oriolus. (Golden Oriole.) — Rare, A few seen.

Oriolus LARVATU8. (Black-headed Oriole.) — Not
common.

BuPHAGUS ERYTHRORHYNCHUS. (Red-billed Oxpecker.) —
(jornmon.

Lamprocolius phcenicopterus bispecularis. (Lesser
Red-shouldered Glossy Starling.) — Rare.

Amydrus morio. (Redwing Starling.) — Common in the
mountainous parts.

*PLOCErs ocuLARius. (Bottle-nest Weaver.) — Fairly
common during the summer months. One collected. Iris
straw-colour. Legs dark grey. Contents of stomach, insects.

Ploceus yelatus. (Masked Weaver.) — Common.

*Ploceus capensis olivaceus. (OliA-e Weaver.) — Not
common. Several procured. Iris dark brown. Legs dirty
slate-brown. Contents of stomach, insects and grass-seeds.

Pyromelaxa orix. (Redbishop Bird.) — Common.

14 Birds from the Sahi JJisirict, Transvaal.

*EuPLECTES XANTHOMELAs. (Black-tliiglied Bishop Bird ) —
Common. Shot several in a vlei. One cock usually accom-
panies a flock of dull-coloured hens. They nest in the reeds.
The flight seems weak. Iris dark brown. Legs dark brown.
Contents of stomach, grasshopper and a few small insects.

*Urobrachya axillaris. (Red-shouldered Widow Bird.)
— Rare here. Iris ))lack. Legs black. Bill pale horny
grey.

EsTKiLDA ASTRiLD. (Common AVaxbill.) — Common.

Ur.eginthus ANGOLENsrs. (Blue-breasted Waxbill.) —
Only seen in the bushveld.

Vidua serena. (Pin-tailed Widow Bird.) — Common.

*Serini:s canicollis. (Cape Canary.) — Common. In
flocks. ? 29. G. 11. Lis dark hazel. (Jontents of stomach,
seeds.

Motacilla capensis. (Cape AVagtail.) — Common.

*Anthus leucophrys. (Plain-backed Pipit.) — Common.

*Macronyx capensis. (Cape Longcdaw.)

Macronyx ckoceus. (Yellow-throated Longclaw.) —
Common.

*Pycnonotus barbatus layardi. (Blackcap Bulbul.) —
Common.

ZosTEROPS viRENS. (Green AVhite-Eye.) — Common.

*Chalcomitra ollvacea. (Olive-coloured Sunbird.)

Chalcomitra amethystina. (Black Sunbird.) — Common.

Nectarinia famosa. (Malachite Sunbird.) — Common.

*Cisticola CHiNiANA. (Smith's Warbler.) — One specimen
in collection.

*CisTiC0LA NATALENSIS. (Natal Grass-Warbler.) — Rare.
One obtained. Iris straw-colour. Legs pale flesh. Contents
of stomach, insects.

JiirJs of the Pretoria JJiish \'elJ. 15

*OiSTicoLA TiNNiENS. (LevaiUant's Grass-Warbler.) —
(lommon on grass or scrub land. Found singly or in pairs.
? 27. G. 11. Iris and legs light brown. Contents of stomach,
small beetles.

*Prinia hypoxantha. (Saffron-breasted Wren-Warbler.) —
Common on grass lands. Iris light brown. Legs flesh-
colonr. Stomach, insects.

*Thamnolea bifasciata. (Buff-streaked Chat.) — Not
uncommon.

*Pratincola touquattis. (South African Stone Chat)
(var. orieiitdlis). — Common.

*Cossypha caffra. (Capo Robin Chat.) — Eatlier uncommon
here, but commoner up on the mountain ranges, (contents
of stomach, insects.

Y. — Notes on some of the Game- and Water-Birds of the
Pretoria Bvsh Veld. By Alwin Haagner, F.Z.S.,
CoLM.B.O.U., Director, Tvl. Zool. Gardens.

AViTH the opening of the present shooting season, I made up
my mind to go on an eight days' shooting trip to the
Bushveld.

Our party (consisting of 4 " guns," a guide, and a couple
of native servants) left Pretoria early one Tuesday morning
in a light spring-trolley drawn by four ponies. We journeyed
through the native reserves of " Hebron " and " Jericho,"
where, through the kind permission of Chief Mamogale
(sub-chief of the Bakwena Tribe) — we had excellent sport.
From Jericho we went to " Buffelsdraai," a wild thickly
wooded farm on the Aapies River, 50 miles from Pretoria, for
permission to ^hootupon which we have to thank Mr. Altman
of Pretoria. Here a large male brown hyena was caught
in a " gintrap"and several unsuccessful attempts were made
to locate a leopard in the thickly wooded kloofs. " Haak-
doornbult," a farm on the ( *rocodile River, is about ten

16 Mr. Alwiii ]Iaa<>;ner on

miles from " BiiffelsJraai." Our l)ag consisted of 78 birds,
besides hare and buck. The birds included Guinea-fowl,
Korhaan, Pheasant, three species of Francolin, Sandgrouse,
and Lapwing. Birds were plentiful, but the avifauna of the
bushveld has already been so ably described by Mr. Austin
Roberts in the pages of this Journal that I need not enlarge
upon it further. I will confine myself solely to the Game-
birds and Waterfowl, as some of my notes hereon are of
particular interest.

1. CoLYMBUS CAPENSis. Cape Dabcliick.

A young fully fledged example was procured at Haak-
doornbult, and a few adults were seen (April).

2. Anas si'ARsa. Black Duck.

A pair flew over our camp at Buffelsdraai on the Aapies
River, uttering their cries, on the evening of the 20th June,
and 1 subsequently saw a pair on one of the pools in the
Aapies River.

8. Anas erythrorhyncha. Redbilled Teal.

In April and May a number of young were found in the
pools at Haakdoornbult, and brought to me. They were in
various stages of growth from 3'oung day old ducklings to
fully fledged birds. Some young ones a couple of weeks old
were found in June.

4. Dendrocygna viduata. White-faced Duck.

In early May a number of young birds were found and
about a dozen captured. Like the i^edbilled Teal they were
in all stages of growth. I had not known previously that
this bird bred in the Pretoria or Rustenburg Bushveld.
When about half grown the red of the chest and the dark
vermiculations begin to show, but it is not until they are quite
adult that these become at all plain enough for one to be sure
of the species. I should say, judging by the birds now in my
possession, that they will go another couple of months be-
fore getting their full colour — probably till the Spring
(October or November). Mr. Sclater (Vol. iv. Birds-Fauna
of S. Africa) says nothing is known of its breeding in South
Africa.

Birds of the Pretoria Bitsh Veld. 17

5. Sarkidiornis melanotus. Knobbilled Duck.

A number of these ducks were also breeJino- on the pools
at Haakdoornbult and eight joung ones were captured, four
of which were safely brought to the Zoo. Thej were, when
fully fledged, of a drab-brown colour above, the whole breast
and flanks being of a dirty white mottled with drabbish brown.
The wings were of a darker shade. The birds have now
(mid July) nearly attained their full size, and the wings,
especially the upper coverts, are becoming darker and darker
and the metallic blue and green sheen is also beo-inninor to
apj)ear. They must now be somewhere between three and
four months old. This is also a surprise to me — viz. to find
these birds breeding in the Central Transvaal. I thought
the most southerly breeding-grounds were Lake Ngami and
the Zambesi River.

6. CuRSORius RUFUS. Rufous Courser.

I saw two small flocks of these birds at Jericho and a pair
at Buffelsdraai. They are nothing like so common in the
Central Transvaal as they are on the Free State flats.

7. Stephanibyx coronatus. (Crowned Lapwing).
This was a very common bird at Jericho, especially anion o-

the scattered scrub round about the native town, and even on
the open spaces of the town itself, I only saw a few between
Jericho and Buffelsdraai.

8. HoPLOPTERUS sPECiosus. Blacksmith Plover.

A few were to be found on the pools at Haakdoornbult,
and Mr. Powell (our guide) captured a pair which are now
in the Pretoria Zoo. Their characteristic metallic "chink
chink" may now often be heard in the gardens.

9. GEdicnemus capensis. Cape Thickknee,

I never saw a single example at Jericho strano-e to sav,
and only a solitary individual at Buffelsdraai.

10. Otis ruficrista. Red Crested Korhaan.

This pretty Bustard was not uncommon in the thick bush
at Jericho, where its peculiar whistling ci-v was often heard.

18 Birds of the Pretoria Busli Veld.

This species is protected in tlie Pretoria District. 1 did not
see any further north, at Buffelsdraai.

11. Otis afeoides. White-quilled Bustard.

I saw the first of these birds near the road about twelve
miles from Pretoria. We shot se\cral along the road
between Jericho and Buffelsdraai. These birds are not
found in the thick bush, but inhabit the open veld or the
open patches of grass-veld among the more scattered bush.
A female with two young- ones, nearly full grown, was
procured near Buffelsdraai on the 20th June, 1914.

12. LiMNOcoRAX NIGER. Black Crake.
A few are found at Haakdoornbult.

13. Pterocles bicinctus. Double-banded Sandgrouse.

I heard the somewhat plaintive whistle of this bird on a
few occasions while at Jericho. At Buffelsdraai they were
fairly common, and we had good sport by waiting at the pools
in the Aapies Biver and shooting them on the wing as they
arrived for their evening drink. As they fly fairly fast and
sometimes arrive in small flocks or in threes and fours
excellent sport can be had, which, however, only lasts about
half an hour on account of the short twilieht.

14. Tantalus ibis. Wood Ibis.

One example was brought to me from the Aapies River
about 20 miles from Pretoria. This is now in the Pretoria
Zoo, and I attach a snapshot photograph of this rare bird.

15. Scorus UMBRETTA. Hammer Head.
I saw one example at Buffelsdraai.

IG. NuMiDA CORONATA. Crowncd Guinea-fowl.

Vei'y common in the thick bush at Jericho, going out
into the old lands to feed at early morning and towards
evening. The crops of several opened by me contained ants,
grasshoppers, and small bulbs.

17. Pternistesswainsoni. Swainson'sPeJneckFrancolin.

Common at Jericho, but not so plentiful at Buffelsdraai.

They are found along the waterless Sand Eiver, in the

Journ. S. Afr. Orn. Union, Vol. X. PI. II.

[To /ace p. 18.

Photo A. Haagner.

WOOD IBIS.

On tJte Breeding of the Kiirrichaine Button Quail. 19

scattered scrub bordering this water-conrso or along the old
lands.

18. Feancolinus natalensis. Natal Francolin.
Scarce at Jericho, but fairly common at Buffelsdraai in the

dense bush along the Aapies liiver.

19. Francolinus SKPHiEXA. Crowned Francolin.

We did not come across this pretty sj)ecies at Jericho, but
shot several in the thick bush along the Aapies lliver at
Buffelsdraai.

20. Francolinus coqui. Coqui Francolin or S\vemi)ie.
Saw three or four covies in the thick bush at Jericho.

21. CoTURNix coTURNix AFRICANA. African Quail.
We flushed a fair number at Jericho, in the old lands.

VI. — On the Breeding of the Kurrichaine Button Quail
(Turnix lepurana) in Captivitij. By F. E. 0. MoES.

During the early part of Nov. 1912 a little native girl
brought me four eggs, of a greenish-grey colour with reddish-
brown spots, about half the size of a common pigeon's egg. I
did not recognise the eggs and took them for those of some
species of Lark. One of the eggs was cracked, so I gave it
to a Crow to eat. When tlie G'row broke open the egg, I
noticed that it had incubated for about five or six days. The
other three eggs I decided to put into an incubator in which
were fowls' eggs, due in eight days' time. I took a small
cardboard box which I half filled with fine sand, on this I
placed the three eggs and put the whole into the incubator
on a piece of wood, in order to bring these small eggs to the
same level as the fowds' eggs. I subsequently treated them in
the same manner as the fowls^ eggs. On the day the fowl
chicks emerged from the shells, I heard very faint " peeping ''
in the incubators, but could only see through the glass door
of the incubator that all three eggs were pecked in the usual
manner, so I expected to see some young Larks come out of

2*

20 Mr. F. E. 0. Mors on the BreeJ'uig of the

the eggs, but late at niglit I looked again and found the
eggs in the same position and also heai'd the tiny poeping
sound in the incubator. I then went to sleep with the
thought that the little birds were too weak to peck their way
ont of the shells and would surely die during the course of
the night. Early next morning 1 decided to take the fowl
chicks out of the incubator, and I opened the machine and
took out first the box with the three little eggs and brought
it to my ears to listen — no sound — surely all dead ! I went
out to the garden with the eggs in the box to obtain better
light to examine the pecking of the eggs. To my surpi'ise
I noticed the sun shining through empty shells, of which the
toj) parts were still nicely in position, being held there by a
small piece of skin attached to the egg-shell which worked
like hinges.

Anxious to see what kind of birds were hatched out of
tliese eggs, I went again to the incubator and took ont the
fovvl chicks, and found between them three nice little chicks
of scarcely an inch in height oE a brownish colour on the
back ; this ground-colour was divided into three portions by
two light brown s'ripes running from the eyes to the tail.
I put some sand in a box and jtlaced therein my three little
chicks, and covered the box with a j)iece of glass. The first
food I made of a little piece of the yolk of a hard-boiled egg,
a grain of boiled rice, and a drop of milk. After being well
mixed, I took this food with a fine piint-brush and held it to
the beak of the little chickens, and they soon learned to eat
the food from the brush. I fed them twice an hour, and at
night time I covered them with cotton wool and put them
back into the incubator. On the third day the birds started
pecking for food on the sand in the box, into which I now
put as many little white ants and black ants as I could get,
and they were eagerly sought for and devoured. The growth
of the birds was now very fast. 1 therefore gave them
more substantial food (boiled egg and rice mixed with
powdered dried meat), fine cut green stuff, and ants, on
which the chicks thrived well and were at Xmas time about
seven weeks old^ when they started feathering. This was

Karrichaine Button Quail in raptiviti/. 21

completed very quickly^ and soon I could recognise the birds
as two males and a female; the latter was much larger and
of a brighter colour, especially on the breast.

1 had planted in a big cage some clumps of grass and h'ttle
bushes, as much as possible assimilating with the ordinary
veld. Into this I put the birds. A few days later 1 saw the
two males chasino" one another, while the female was standiiiii'
with a stiff neck, puffed up breast, and uttering cries. The
next day one male commenced buikiino' a nest between two
grass bushes, and a few days later I saw the female bird
taking part in this nest-building. The nest itself was only
roughly made of dry grass like a fiat cu[) with a cover above
it. On the 27th of February, when the birds were not four
months old, the hen started laying and continued to lay
every day an egg which the male birds covered every tiu^.e
with dry grass. When five eggs were laid, the male bird
started sitting on them. The female kept watching over the
nest and went on the eggs as soon as the male came off for
food. This coming off the nest was very strange, the bird
slowly rising and slippi'jig off behind the nest and continually
pulling small pieces of grass, which he threw behintl him to
cover his way. If the male bird took a bit too lono- to feed
the female came oft' the nest and chased him back to his
duty.

On the 15th of March, after 15 days^ incubation, three
little chicks were hatched, but I arrived just in time to
see the female killing two of them, so I decided to place
the male bird with the remaining little one in a separate
cage with a layer of sand on the bottom. The male bird
was leading and, feeding the youngster as a common
hen does her chickens. The female mated up with the
other male immediately after I had removed the first one
with the youngster, and on the 25th of March the second
male was sitting upon seven eggs. In all I reared eleven
youngsters from the first three birds in 1913, of which one
pair is now in the Zoological Gardens at Pretoria. The
whole breeding-habits of these birds are very interesting. I
have not succeeded in deciding whether the female of these

22 Occasional JVotes.

birds would under natural conditions live with two or more
males. According to the fertility of the female I should
think this was the case. This I hope to find out within the
next year or two.

VII. Occasional JSotes.

1. From Scotland to Orange Free State.
Wonderful flight of a Swallow.

Sir, —

In sending you the attached from ' British Birds/
which I think cannot fail to prove of interest to your readers,
I may mention that the readers of 'British Birds ^ Magazine
have now placed over 32,000 rings on wild birds of many
kinds, and that this is leading to results of great interest and
importance in connection with the study of birds.

Should ringed birds ever come into the hands of your
readers I hope they will notify me at once, stating the name
on the ring and the number, as well as the date and place
where the bird was found. I will then at once inform them
when and where the bird was ringed.

Yours faithfully,

H. F. WiTHERBY,

{Editor, ' British Birds ').

Swallow ringed in Ayrshire and recovered in
Orange Free State.

In August I received a letter from Mr. A. C. Tlieron dated from the
"Riet Vallei, District Lindley, O.F.S.," stating that a Swallow liad been
captured bearing a ring with my name and address. As Mr. Tlieron
gave neither the number of the ring nor the date of capture I asked him
for these particulars and have just received his reply and the ring itself.
The ring is number E937, and Mr. Theron informs me that the bird was
captured at Riet Vallei on March 16th, 1913, and adds, " I do not know
when it arrived." This ring was placed on a nestling Swallow by Mr. R.
O. Blyth at Skelmorlie, Ayrshire, on July 27th, 1912.

A few months ago an adult Swallow ringed in Staffordshire was re-
covered as Ji.aving been captured near Utrecht, Natal, in December, and
the present record is from about one hundred and fifty miles west of that

Occasional J\^otes. 23

place, which is not far iu comparison with the total length of the
journey.

In -writing of the Natal record I expressed surprise that a Swallow
breeding in the far west of Europe should migrate so far east in South
Africa, but now that Dr. Hartert has shown b}' his observations in the
middle of the Sahara that deserts are not necessarily a bar to the passage
of migrating birds, as was formerly supposed, it may perhaps bo pre-
sumed that these Swallows take a more direct line than one would
previously have thought possible.

This second record, taken in conjunction with the first, is extremely
valiuible, and we are most grateful both fo Mr. Blyth who ringed the
Swallow and to Mr. Theron who reported it.

II, F. WiTHKRBY.

2. A NEW List of Beitish Birds.

The 'Field' has the following cogent remarks upon a
nuich debated question : —

One of the greatest hindrances to the progress of zoology
at the present day is the reckless way in which changes of
nomenclature are being made by those who profess to be
rendering a service to science. Tlieir plea is that tliey are
striving to bring about a uniformity in nomenclature, but by
introclucino; new names, resuscitciting lono--torootten ones,

o -^ COO ■

and transferring others from one species to another, they are
really hindering the attainment of their object, and creating
a great deal of confusion. It is not surprising, therefore,
that many working naturalists should protest, ns they do,
against having these new names thrust upon them to the
exclusion of those which have l)een in use for more than a
century. The majority of names in use are to be found in
all the text books of British and continental naturalists, and
have become imbedded in the literature of zoology. To
attempt to disturb them now is futile, for while a few students
of the present generation may think it incumbent upon them
to follow the leaders of the new school under the banner of
'"Progress,^' and to accept what they regard as the latest and
most up-to-date list, the majority are quite content to leave
things as they are, and to use the names auctorum j^luri-
monon. They see no advantage in the changes proposed.

24 Occufiional Notetf.

The protest on this score, which id gaining ground, \a
nothing new. So far back as 1896 in a discussion which
took phice at a meeting of the Zoological Society, Sir E.
Eay Lankester, protesting against the " digging up " of old
names, suggested that an international committee should be
formed, not to draw up a code of rules, but to produce an
authoritative list of names — once and for all — about which
no lawyer-like haggling should hereafter be permitted.
Again, at a meeting of the Zoological Society in 1908, a
paper was read by Mr. Boulenger on the abuses resulting
from the strict application of the rule of prioiity in zoological
nomenclature, and on the means of protecting well-known
names. In the coarse of his ren^arks he said : —

The worst feature of this abuse is uot so much the bestowal of un-
known names on well-known creatures, as the transfer of names from
one species to another. The names that were used uniformly by Cuvier,
Johannes Miiller, Owen, Agassiz, Darwin, Huxley, and many others
would no longer convey any meaning. Very often they woidd be mis-
understood; in fact, the very object for which Latin or Latinised names
were introduced would be defeated. It is all very well to talk of uni-
formity in the future, but surely we must have sume consideration for
the past. Names with which all general zoologists, anatomists, and
physiologists are familiar should be respected, and should be excepted
from the rule by virtue of what may be termed the pi-ivilege of pre-
scription. If biologists would agree to make that one exception to the
law of priority in nomenclature, things would adjust themselves well
enough, and we might hope to see realised some day what we all desire
— fixity in names, that we may readily understand tlie meaning of all
vn-iters, not only oyer the whole civilised world at the present day and
in the future, but back into the last century, which has marked so great
an advance in zoological science. Such a result would be attained by
protecting time-honoured names of well-known animals from the attacks
of the revisers of nomenclature.

These remarks were generally approved, and the following
memorandum was drawn up and circulated amongst British
zoolooists. The signatures appended to it show that^ in this
country at least^ strict adherence to tiie rule of priority is
far from meeting with general support.

The undersigned zoologists, while fully realising the justice and utility
of the rule of priority in the choice of scientific names for animals as

Occasional A\)tes. 25

first laid down by a commiltee of the British Association iu 1842, wish
to protest ai>aiiist the abuse to which it has been put as a result of the
most recent codes of nomenclature, and consider that names which have
had currency for a great number of j'ears should, unless preoccupied, be
retained in the sense in which they have been universally used. Con-
sidering the confusion that must result from the strict application of the
rule of pi-iority, they would welcome action leading to the adoption of a
scheme by which such names as have received the sanction of general
usage, and have been invariably employed by the masters of zoology in
the past century, would be scheduled as unremovable.

(Signed) E, Ray Lankestek, A. Skdgwick, P. Chalmers
Mitchell, Sydney J. Hickson, E,. Bowdler Sharps,
J.Arthur Thompson, Gilbert C. Bourne, E. S. Goodrich,
J. J. Lister, W. C. McIntosh, F. Jeffery Bell, W.
T, Calman, W. E. Hoyle, A. M. Norman, J. Graham
Kerr, Albert Gunthkr, J. Cossar Ewart, D'Aroy W.
Thompson, Henry Woodward, E. A. Minchin, P. L.
Sclater, W. N. Parker, W. J. Sollas, Edward B.
PouLTt)N, C. O. Waterhouse, A. Smith Woodward, S. E.
IIarmer, W. Bateson, D. Sharp, J. Stanley Gardiner, and
G. A. Boulenger.

In view of this strong expression of opinion from leading
zoologists it would be supposed that due deference would be
paid to it, and that even those m-Iio could not bring them-
selves entirely to agree with it, would at least refrain from
acting in direct opposition to the wishes of so many distin-
guished biologists. What is the result so far as British
ornithology is concerned ? The recent publication of a new
' List of British Birds ' *, in which the authors, so far from
deferring to the expressed wishes of much better judges than
themselves, act in direct opposition to their views, and pro-
pose a complete revolution in nomenclature. That they have
so acted in perfect good faith and honesty of purj)Ose we
have no doubt whatever, but we consider their action to be
not only injudicious, but calculated to defeat its object —
uniformity and finality iu the nomenclature of British birds.

* ' A Hand-list of British Birds.' With an Account of the Distri-
bution of each Species in the British Isles and Abroad. By Ernst Harlert,
r. C. ii. Jourdain, N. E. Ticehurst, and H. F. Witherby. 8vo, pp. 237.
London : Witherby & Co.

26 Occasional JVotes.

To attempt a detailed criticism of the list^ which extends
to 237 pages, is not possible in the space here available ; it
mast suffice to state a few of the more serious objections
which call for protest. As examples of the revolutionary
changes of name for familiar species take Dandalus ruhecula
melop/tiliis for the robin, which has been known from the
time of Cuvier (1800) as Erithacus ruhecula ; Turdus pldlo-
melus clarkei for the common song thrush ; Tyto alha alba
for the common barn owl; Strepto-pelia turtur ^ov i\ie connnon
turtledove, instead of Turtur commuuis, in general use for
seventy-five years. As examples of the triple repetition of
generic names take Orlolus oriolus oi'iolus for the golden
oriole, known since the days of Linnajus as Oriolus (jalbula;
Chlor'is c. c. for the greenfinch, substituting Chloris of 13oie
(182G) for Fringilla of Linnaeus (17G(J) ; Coccotliraustes c. c.
for the hawfinch ; Pica p. p. for the magpie ; Apus a. a. for
the swift ; Perdix p. p. for the common partridge. As
examples of unnecessary trinomials take Fringilla ccelehs
ccelehs, and Alauda arvensis arvensis, so named to distinguish
it from a single pale-coloured skylark obtained in Scotland
and unnecessarily named Alauda arvensis cinerea. Direct
contravention of a rule which the authors of the list quote
with a])proval (Introd. p. ix. art. 19) : " The original ortho-
graphy of a name is to be preserved unless an error of
transcription, a lapsus calami, or a typographical error is
evident." Nevertheless, they perpetuate such errors as
Spermologus galuc^otes^ bosc/ms, rusticola, ochropAus, and
others.

A propos the name boschas (rectius boscas) the height of
absurdity is reached by giving priority to the name ]>laf//-
rliyncha for the common wild duck on the ground that in
Linnajus's ' Systenui Naturae ' it happened to be printed two
pages earlier. S.irely both names were published simul-
taneously. Moreover, in his twelfth edition Linna3us himself
admitted that by platyrliynclia he meant the female shoveler,
as would naturally be surmised, for he was not in the habit
of bestowing inappropriate descriptive names.

The separation of so-called " British forms " of well-known

Occasional Notes. 27

anil generally (li.stributed species is a niodern innovation
which does not commend itself to common sense, when it
is remembered thut most of them are in the habit of migrating
to and from the Continent. This periodical migration is
adniitt(;d by the authors of the list (p. 42) in the case of the
great tit, yet they propose to distinguish the " British form^^
of this bird as Farus major newtoni. These distinctions
apparently are based upon the very slightest differences in
shade of colour, due to hatural causes — age, sex, or
season — and if a series of continental and British examj)les
are laid out side by side the colours will be found to inter-
grade so insensibly that it is impossible to say where one
" form " ends and the other begins.

In regard to such changes as we have indicated our com-
plaint is that so far from bringing about uniformity in
nomenclature, they only create unnecessary confusion, and
establish no finality. To give a sing'e example, let us take
the case of the familiar merlin, which has been known as
Falco aesalon since 1788, when Gmelin adopted that specific
name from Brisson's descri{)tion. From that date this name
was in general use until 1874, when Sharpe, desiring to give
priority to an older name, substituted Falco regulus of Pallas,
1773, and accordingly this name found its way into Vol. I.
of the 'British Museum Catalogue of Birds,' and, being
"published by authority," was in a fair way of being adopted
by a younger generation of naturalists. It was discovered,
however, that regulus of Pallas was after all not the earliest
specific name for the merlin, for Tunstall, in his •' Ornithologia
Britannica/ 1771, had already used the name aesalon. Ac-
cordingly aesalon (from Pliny's name for the merlin, aLaciXwv)
was reinstated, and has been in general use until the present
time. Messrs. Hartert and Co. now propose that regulus
should be once more restored, on the ground that Tunstall's
work, being merely a list of names without descriptions,
should not be quoted, though they inconsistently adopt (p. Ill)
Tunstall's name for the peregrine. Tunstall employ in o-
Brisson's name aesalon (as did also Gmelin in 1778) there
could be no possible doubt, from their description, as to the

28 Occasional Notes.

species lie intended to indicate. " This," sa} s Seebohni, "is
auotlier instance of the folly of still adhering to the law of
priority which has done so much mischief to the study of
birds."

Still more ol^jectionable is it to find amongst the changes
advocated by Messrs. Hartcrt and Co. the transference of
long-established names from one S})ecies to another. Thus
the appropriate name Dnisicus, so long a[)[)lied to the song
thrush, they suggest should be bestowed on the redwing
{Tioxlus iliacus) while the familiar thrush they would rename
2\n'dus philomelus clarldi, Hartert !

Now if any reader will take the trouble to refer to the
twelfth edition of Linnceus's ' Systema/ 176G — the stai ting
point fixed fixed for nomenclature by the committees of the
British Association and the British Ornithologists' Union — ■
and read the diagnoses given by Linnseus of the two species
named by him iliacus and miisicvs (vol. i., p. 292), it will be
perfectly clear that the former bird, ^' alis siibtas ferrugineis,
superciliis albicantibus,^' is the redwing; the latter, remigihus
hasl interiore ferrugineis, which " dwells in the woods, makes
a, nest with mud, and sings in the evening from the summit
of a tree/' is evidently the song thrush. Why then transpose
these two names after a hundred and fifty years of universal
approval ? Apparently because they had been inadvertently
so transposed in an earlier edition of the woik, 1758. But
Linnpeus, liavino- rectified the mistake in the last edition
published in his lifetime, 17GG, should surely be given credit
for the correction. We have here an example of the trans-
ference of a name from one species to another. Let us now
look at the case of transferring the names of genera.

Messrs Hartert and Co. place the grebes in the genus
Colgmhus, and remove the divers from Colymlus to Gavia !
The sandpipers are hopelessly confused by throwing two
readily distinguishable genera [Tringa and Totanus) into one
genus, Tringa, and transferring one of them, Tringa alpina,
together with the smaller stints {minuta, temminckii, &c.)
into a different genus, Erolia.

Occasional Notes. 29

In pleading for all these changes on the score of effecting
'* uniformity," Messrs. Hartert and Co. in their introduction
make the extraordinary statement that "we have neglected
for 150 years one of the requisites of greatest importance.''
They altogether ignore the work of the British Association
connnittees of 1842 and 1863, and the British Ornithologists'
Union in 1883, although these committees included such
well-known biologists as Darwin, Owen, Henslow, Jenyns^
AVestvvood, Yarrell, Strickland, Jardine, Wallace, Sclater,
Spence Bate, Bentham, Hooker, Huxley, and Newton, all
of whom thought it desiral)le that no names should be adoi)ted
of an earlier date than 1766, the date of the twelfth edition
of Linnpeus, the last published in his lifetime.

Notwithstanding this weighty expression of opinion, and
the protest of the memorialists of 1908 already referred to,
the authors of the new list of British birds adopt the tenth
edition of the ' Systema,' 1758, thereby giving rise to innumer-
able changes of names to no advantage. Having then fixed
upon the date 1758 as the starting point, they rake up from
long-forgotten works subsequently published names not
hitherto heard of, and propose to substitute them for those
which, from long use, have become well established. Hence
the present trouble. It appears that they base their list on
rules drawn np by an international committee in 1905, though
surely, as sticklers for priority, they should abide by the well-
considered rules framed by the earlier committees of 1842
and 1863.

Mr. Eagle Clarke, writing in the 'Scottish Naturalist,' has
put the matter fairly in saying that " many of the changes
in the new li^t are made on trivial grounds, while others show
a total disregard for the serious confusion their acceptance
would entail."

Dr. P. L. Sclater, who has published a commentary on the
new list in the current number of ' The Ibis,' expresses his
o{)inion that " it contains some very objectionable features.''
In order to show the changes which would have to be made
in the 'List of British Birds' drawn up in 1883 by a com-
mittee of the British Ornithologists' Union — [lopularly known

30 Occasional Xotcs.

as the 13. 0. U. List — he has prepared a tahle which shows
that of 376 names therein included, no fewer than 200 would
require alteration ! This he considers is " so great a defect
in the projected change that the alterations could not be
effected."

In this opinion we quite agree.

It is a significant fact that in res[)onse to a circular issued
by the German Zoological Society, no fewer than 635
zoologists voted against the application of the rule of strict
priority as propounded by the International Zoological Con-
gress, and a similar opinion has been expressed in a vote of
the Scandinavian naturalists and a vote given by the com-
mittee of the British Association.

Tliose of our readers who may be in doubt whether to
accept or reject the list now under consideration will do well
to await the appearance of a new edition of the B. 0. U. List,
which, we understand, is in active preparation. The simplest
way out of the difficulty, as it seems to us, is to ignore the
new list. — From 'The Field ^ of March SiJi, 1913.

3. The following appeared in the ' Pretoria News," shortly
after the appointment on 1st January, 1914, which might
interest readers of this Journal : —

The Zoo. The New Director. — The appointment has
been confirmed of Mr. Alwin K. Haagner as Director of the
Zoological Gardens, a position for which he is eminently fit-
ted. Born in tlie Eastern Province, he took to zoology as a
hobby at the age of 16. His first scientific paper was
published when he was only twenty, and since then he has
contributed very many articles to such magazines as * The
Ibis^ and 'The Zoologist.^ He also wrote the letterpress
of ' Sketches of South African Bird Life,' which met with
success, and a second edition of wdiich is now in the press.
In March 1909 lie received a diploma from the Hungarian
Department of Agriculture for ornithological work, and is an
Honorary Member of the British Ornithological Union and a
fellow of the Zoological Society of London. In March 190-1

Short Notices of Ovnhholo<jical Puhlicatlons. 31

he founded tlic South African Ornithologists' Union, and has
been Secretary from its start in addition to editing the Journal
of the Union since Mr. John Bucknill's departure.

From 1902-08 he was chief cleric in the stores department
of the dynamite factory at Modderfontein and left there in
Augus^t 1908. He was appointed temporary assistant in the
Zoological Department of the Transvaal Museum. In Juno
1909 he was transferred to the Zoo as superintendent under
the kite Dr. Gunning.

To Mr. Haagner is due the credit of the Pretoria Zoo
being looked upon as one of the cleanest and l)est kept in the
world, and recently some effective alterations have been
made in the ""rounds.

VIII. Sliort Sotices of OrnkJioIor/ical Publications.

1. ''The Ihis^ : a Quarterly Jo^irnal of Ornitholocpj. Edited
by W. L. Sclater, Esq. M.A., F.Z.S., 10th Series,
Nos. 1 to 3, Jan., April, July, &l October, 1913.

We take this opportunity of congratulating our ex-
President on the distinguished honour conferred U[ion him,
in his appointment as Editor of the 10th Series of 'The Ibis.'

The January number contains, inter alia, a description of a
new Lourie or Touracou [Turacus rxispolii) byT. Salvador! —
from Lake Stephanie. There is also a third contribution to
the Ornithology of Cyprus by John A. Bucknill, M.A.

The April number has an obituary notice, with portrait,
of the late Dr. E. A. Wilson, who met his death with C.iptain
Scott's party in the now famous^ but ill-starred dash for the
South Pole. He was Vertebrate Zoologist as well as Medical
Officer to the Expedition.

An interesting commentary on the new ' Hand-list of
British Birds,' written by Dr. Hartert, Jonrdain, N. F.
Ticehurst, and H. F. Witherby, appears in the January
number, and some letters thereon in the April number on
the vexed and much discussed question of Priority.

32 Short jVotices of Oi'mtholof/ical Puhlicaf'ions.

The Julj number has an interesting paper on " The
Evolution o£ Adaptation in Parasitic Cuckoos' Eggs," by
E. C. Stuart Baker, F.Z.S., M.B.O.U.

The October number of this journal has a paper by L. M.
Seth-Smith on the Birds found around Mpumu, Uganda, from
which we notice that many of our familiar South African
friends seem common enough in Uganda. This paper is
illustrated by a coloured plate of eggs and a photographic
plate of Platijstira cyanea (Blue Flycatcher) on its nest.
Notes and observations on the Painted Snipe {Ilodratula
hengalensis — R. capensis) in Ceylon by J. 0. Beven, B.A., is
also of some interest to South African readers. A long paper
on a collection of Birds from S. Abyssinia by W. R. Ogilvie-
Grant completes a specially good number. Obituaries of
Dr. P. L. Sclater (with an excellent j)ortrait), Tom Ayres,
and Dr. Gunning also appear.

2. Report of the Zoological Semice for the Year 1912, in
which is included the 14:th Annual Rej^ort of the Oiza
Zoological Gardens. By Capt. S. S. Flower
(Director).

From this Report we are pleased to see that in Egypt the
Egrets have been saved from the extermination which
threatened them at the hands of the plume-hunters, by law
No. 9 of May 20, 1912 : " The Protection of Birds useful to
Atrriculture." Bird-protection duty now appears to be part
of the Director's duties, as on page 4 of the Report we see
that the Director and his assistant were absent in the
provinces on various dates on bird-protection duty. The
Black-cheeked Lovebird of S. Africa seems to breed as well
in captivity in foreign climes as in its native haunts. We see
that lo were reared in the Giza Zoo.

'^. ' The Emu.' January, April, 1914.

Our Australian contemporary continues to bevery successful,
but to all appearances the people of Australia take more
interest in Natural History subjects than those of. South

Short I^ot'wes of Ornithological Puhlications. 33

Africa. Their membersliip seems to be very large compared
with ours, and they can bring out a regular quarterly journal.
In the January number of ' The Emu ' appears an account
of a very successful Annual (the 13th) Session of the
R. A. 0. U., held at Adelaide. This included the business
meeting, luncheons, visits to public institutions, motor-
drives, &c. 36 new members were elected.

4. ' The Aquila.' Vol. xx. 1913.

This publication contains a very interesting introductory
article by the veteran Director of the Hungarian Ornithol.
Bureau (Dr. Otto Herman), as w^ell as the usual exhaustive
reports on migration, &c.

5. The Journal of the East Africa and Uganda Natural

History Society. Vol. iii. and Vol. iv. No. 1.

This interesting little publication continues to contain
papers of interest. In the July 1913 number we have a
paper on the nesting-habits of some East African Birds by
AVm. Congreve, M.B.O.U.

6. ' The Ardea/ Tydschift der Nederlandsvhe Vereeniging.

In the December 1913 number of this Dutch journal of
Ornithology appears a continuation of the results of the
marking of birds by the National Museum of Leiden.
Amongst the records, that of a Swallow (^H. rust tea) ringed
at Bentelo (Delden) and found dead at Tangiers in Morocco
(N. Africa) is the most interesting. There is also an in-
teresting little article on the Bittern {Botaurus steUaris),
illustrated by four clear photographic plates of the bird ou
its nest, young and eggs (liy A. Bnrdet).

7. 'British Birds: Vol. vi. (1913), vol. vii. Jan. to

March.

From the March 1913 number we learn that Major G. E.
H. Barrett-Hamilton of the Royal Irish Rifles died in South

34 Klevetith A)inind }[eel'nuf.

Georgia on tlie 17 January, 1913. He served in South
Africa during the war, and made collections of birds and small
mammals at Vredefort Road, 0. F. S., and other localities,
which were worked up on his return to England. He leaves
a wife and six little children.

8. Smithsonian Miscellaneoits Collections.

A number of papers on new subspecies of East African
birds by E. A. Mearns, gives one cause for thought. Many
of these subspecies were " created " on the strength of a
single specimen, and some seem to differ so little from their
parent types that there appears no valid reason for separating
them. This modern craze for creating subspecies is be-
coming a curse to the Science of Zoology.

IX. — Proceedings of the South African Ornithologists' Union.

Account of the Eleventh Anmial Meeting.

The Eleventh Annual Meeting was held in the Office of the
Director of the Transvaal Zoological Gardens, Pretoria, at
3.30 P.M. Sir Arnold Theilek in the Chair. There was
a fair attendance of members.

The Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting havino-
been read and confirmed, the Ghairman called upon the
Secretary to read his report. The statement of accounts
was also presented. Both were adopted on the motion of
Mr. Roberts, seconded by Mr. Langford ; and on the pro-
posal of the latter gentleman, seconded by Mr. Ivan Ayres,
Mr. Roberts was appointed to audit the accounts for the
year 1913.

The Chairman asked the members to rise in token of
respect to the deceased members of the Union : —
Dr. J. W. B. Gunning^ Dr. P. L. Sclater^ Lieut. Halhed,
and Thomas Ayres.

hleventh Aninial Meef'uu/. 35

Protection of Birds. — Mr. Haagner stated that work in
tin's direction during the past had been spasmodic and
meagre, but at last we were on the road to a climax, as
there was a .Draft Bill before the Union Parliament. A
joint Committee had been formed in Johannesburg, for
the object of watching this from a practical and economic
standpoint, which consisted of delegates from the Transvaal
Game Protection Association and the Agricultural Societies
of Johannesburg and Pretoria. The Directors of both
the Transvaal Museum and the Zoo had been asked to go
on this Committee, and the S. A. 0. U. had been asked
to nominate two members. He would like to propose
Messrs. Langford and Roberts. This was seconded by
Mr. Ayres. The Chairman agreed to this proposal and
suggested further that, when a Draft Bill had been proposed,
that the members of the Union should be called too-ether
to discuss same. This was also agreed upon. Mr. Langford
drew attention to a paper in the 'Agricultural Journal'
by a certain Mr. von Weilligh, and stated that it was in-
accurate and liable to do more harm than good. Mr^
Roberts endorsed this view, and the Chairman proposed
that a letter be written to the Editor of the 'Ao-ricultural
Journal ' offering him the suggestion that any articles sent
in bearing upon Ornithology should in future first be
submitted to the Editors of the Journal of the S. A. 0. U.
This was seconded by Mr. Roberts and carried.

Altemtion to Rules. — Rule 15 last paragraph was amended
to read : —

" For Ordinary Members there shall be an entrance
fee of half a guinea, and the annual subscription shall be
ten shillings and sixpence."

This was proposed by Dr. Peringuey and seconded by
Mr. A. K. Haagner. On the motion of Mr. Haagner the
resolution of last year referring to Associate Members was
rescinded.

3*

3(» .LlercnfJi Annual Aleeluuj.

Office Bearers. — The office hearers for ]'J15 were duly
elected as follows : —

President Sir Arnold Theiler, K.CM.G,, Director of Vety.

Research, Pretoria.

fDr. L. Peringuey, Director S.A. Museum, Cape

I Town.

^ ., , ', C. Mc. G. Johnston, Esq., Bloemfonteiii, O.F.S.

yice-Presidents ....-^ ^ _, .^ „ rt ^ t\ \ i\r

E. 0. Chubb, Esq., Curator Durban Museum,

I Durban.

LC. F. M. SwYNNERTON, Melsetter, S. Rhodesia.

Hon. Sec. ^ Treas. , . A. K. Haagner.

Jlon. Editors of Publications.
A. K. Haagner and B. C. R. Langfohd.

Members of Council.

For Cape Colony C. G. Davies, M.B.O.U.

„ Transvaal Austin Roberts.

„ Orange Free State Roland Chambers.

„ Basutolaud J. P. Murray.

„ Natal Dr. J. G. Briscoe.

„ Port. S.E. Africa P. A. Sheppard.

„ Rhodesia Rev. S. S. Dornan.

New Memhers. — The following new Memhers were duly-
elected : —

Dr. C. Jones-Philipson Port Alfred.

Dr. C. Leipoldt I'retoria.

D. Kehoe, M.R.C.V.S do.

G. A. II. Bedford do.

H. 0. Hare do.

A. A. Lane Potchefstroom.

P. P. DE KocK Wolmaranstad.

J. D. Casey Durban.

F. W. Fitzsimons Port Elizabeth.

F. Kroeger Lydenburg.

Dr. E. C. VAN HoEPEN Pretoria.

London Agents. — A vote of thanks was accorded our
Agents in London, Messrs. Witherby &' Co., for the
courteous manner in which they had endeavoured to settle

Eleventh Annual Meeting. 37

amicably the unfortunate dispute with Mr. Buckland for
alleged infringement of copyright. Although the re-
publishing of the article in question was for the good
of Bird Protection, Mr. Buckland pressed his claim for
damages, and his lawyers (Messrs. Colyer & Colyer of
London) presented a bill of costs for £15 16s. It
was resolved to absolve the Secretary and the Editors
from blame and any expense in the matter, and to
tender to Messrs. Witherby & Co. the appreciation of the
meeting for their kindly assistance.

NAME INDEX.

A.

Abdimia abdimii, 4.
Aecipiter minullus, 3, 10.
^yialitis tricollaris, 4.
African Buzzard Eagle, 3.

Cormorant, 4.

Hoopoe, 12.

■ Quail, 19.

Swift, 2.

Alauda arvensis arvensis, 26.
Alcedo semitorqtiata, 12.
Amydrus niorio, 13.
Anas erythrorhyncha, 16.

sparsa, 8, 16,

Angola Kingfisher, 12.
Anthropoides paradisea, 9.
AntJius leucaphrys, 14.
Apaloderma naruia, 11,
Apus apus apus, 26.
Asi'o nisuella, 10.
Asturinula monogrammica, 3,

Barbet, Pied, 11.

Barn Owl, 26.

Batis molitor, 12.

Baza verreauxi, 3.

Bee-eater, Carmine-breasted, 12.

, European, 12.

, Little, 12.

Bishop Bird,Black-thighed, 14.

Bishop Bird, Red, 14.
Bittern, 33.
Black-bellied Bustard, 9.

Crake, 4, 18.

Duck, 8, 16.

Flycatcher, 2.

headed Bush-Shrike, 2.

Oriole, 13.

shouldered Kite, 3,

Sunbird, 14.

thighed Bishop Bird, 14,

Widow Finch, 1.

winged Pratincole, 4.

Blackcap Bulbul, 14.
Blacksmith Plover, 17,
Blue-breasted Waxbill, 14,

Crane, 9,

Flycatcher, 32.

Botaurus steUaris, 33.
Bottle-nest Weaver, 13.
Bradyornis ater, 2.
Bronze Cuckoo, 3.
Brubru Bush-Shrike, 13.
Bucorvus cafe)-, 12.
Buft-streaked Chat, 15.
Bulbul, Blackcap, 14.
Btiphagus erythrorhijnchns, 13.
Bush-Shrike, Brubru, 13.

, Long-tailed, 13.

, Three-streaked, 13.

Bustard, Black-bellied, 9.
, Giant, 9.

40

NAME INDEX.

Bustard, White-quilled, 9, 18.
Butorldes atricapilluSf 9.

C.

Cape Bam Owl, 10.
■ — - Dabchick, 16.

■ Fruit Pigeou, 10.

Longclaw, 14.

Lourie, 11.

Redwing Fraucolin, 10.

Robin Cliat, 15.

Scops Owl, 3, 10.

Thickknee, 9, 17.

Turtle-Dove, 10.

Wagtail, 14.

Caprimulyus jjectoralis, 12.

tn'maculaf,us, 12.

Cardinal Woodpecker, 11.
Carmine-breasted Bee-aater, 12.
Centropus grilli cceruleiceps, 11.
Cerclmeis rupicola, 10.
Cenjle maxima, 12.

rudis, 12.

Chalcomiti-a atnethi/stma, 14.

olivacea, 14.

Chalcopelia nfra, 10.
Chat, Buff-streaked, 15.

, Cape Robin, 15.

• , Ileuglin's Robin, 2.

, Natal, 2.

, South African Stone, 15.

Chizcsrhis concolor, 11.
Chloris chloris chloris, 26.
Chrysococcyx cupreus, 3.

klaasi, 3.

Ciconia ciconia, 9.
Cinnamon Dove, 4.
Circu'etus cinereus, 7.

pectoralis, 7.

Cisticola chiniana, 14.

natalensis, 14.

tinniens, 15.

Coccothraustes coccothraustes
coccothraustes, 26.

Colhts tndicuSj 1 1 .

striatus minor, 11.

Columba phceonota, 10,
Coly, Lesser Speckled, 11.

, Red-faced, 11.

Colymbus, 28.

capenais, 16.

Common Partridge, 26.

Sandpiper, 9.

Waxbill, 14.

Coqui Francolin, 10, 19.
Coracias caudatus, 12.
Cormorant, African, 4.
Corvultur albicollis, 13.
Corvus scapidatus, 13.
Corythornis cyanostiyma, 12.
Cosmetornis vexillarius, 2,
Cossyphn caffra, 15.

heuyUni, 2.

nataleyisis, 2.

Coturnix coturnix africana^ 19.
Coucal, Natal, 11.
Courser, Lesser, 8.

, Rufous, 17.

Crake, Black, 4, 18.
Crane, Blue, 9.
Crested Hawk-Eagle, 10.
Crow, Pied, 13.
Crowned Francolin, 19.

Guinea-Fowl, 10, 18.

Lapwing, 8, 17.

Cuckoo, Bronze, 3.

, Falcon, 3.

, Golden, 3.

, Red-chested, 3.

Cuculus solitnrius, 3.
Cursorius 7-ufus, 17.

temmincki, 8.

Cypselus caffer, 2.

D.

Dabchick, Cape, 16.

Dandalus ruhecula mehphilus, 26.

NAME INDEX.

41

Bendrocijgna riduata, 16.
Dendropicus guineensis, 11.
Dicrurus afer, 13.
Double-banded Sandgrouse, 9, 18.
Dove, Cape Turtle-, 10.

, Cinnamon, 4.

, Metallic-spotted, 10.

, Red-eyed Turtle -, 10.

, Tambourine, 4, 10.

, Turtle-, 26.

Drong-o, Fork-tailed, 13.
Dryoscopus cubla, 13.
Duck, Black, 8, 16.

, Knob-billed, 17.

, AV lute- faced, 16.

E.

Eagle, African Buzzard, 3.

, Crested Hawk-, 10.

, Martial Hawk-, 10.

Egret, Yellow-billed, 9.
Elanus cceruleus, 3.
Erithacus mhecula, 26.
Erolia, 28.

Erythropygia qnadrivirgafa, 3.
Estrilda astrild, 14.

sub/lava, 1.

Eiiplectes xanthomelas, 14.
European Bee-eater, 12.

Fcdco aesalon, 27.

biannicus, h, 6.

cherrug, 6.

lanarius, 6.

reguhis, 27.

Falcon, Cuckoo, 3.
Finch, Black Widow, 1.

, Grant's Weaver, 1.

Finfoot, Peter's, 4.
Flycatcher, Black, 2.
, Blue, 32.

Flycatcher, Paradise, 12.

, White-flanked, 12.

Fork-tailed Drongo, 13.
Francolin, Cape Redwiug, 10.

, Coqui, 10, 19.

, Crowned, 19.

, Grey-wiuged, 10.

, Natal, 19.

, Swainson's Redneck, 18.

Francolinua nfei\ 10.

coqui, 10, 19.

levaillanti, 10.

natalensis, 19.

sephcena, 19.

Freckled Nightjar, 12.
Fringilla cvelebs coelebs, 26.

G.

GaUirex porphyreolophus, 11.
Gavia, 28.

Geocolaptes olivaceus, 11.
Giant Bustard, 9.

Kingfisher, 12.

Glaveola pratincola, 4.
Golden Cuckoo, 3.

Oriole, 13, 26.

Gocse, Spur-wing, 8.
Grant's Weaver Finch, 1.
Grass Owl, 10.

Warbler, Levaillant's, 15.

, Natal, 14.

Green-backed Heron, 9.

Ibis, 9.

Wliite-eye, 14.

Greenfinch, 26.
Greenshank, 4.
Grey-headed Kingfisher, 6.

Lourie, 11.

Plover, 4.

winged Francolin, 10.

Ground Hornbill, 12.

Woodpecker. 11.

Guiuea-Fowl, Crowned, 10, 18.

42

NAME INDEX.

H.

Halcyon ci/anoleucus, 12.

stcaiiisoni, 6.

Half-collared Kingfisher, 12.
Haiumerhead, 9, 18.
Haplopelia larvata, 4.
Hawfinch, 26.
Hawli, Little Sparrow-, 3, 10.

Eagle, Crested, 10.

, Martial, 10.

Herodias brachijrhyncha, 9.
Heron, Green-backed, 9,
Heuglin's Robin Chat, 2.
Hirundo I'tistica, 33.
Honeyguide, Yellow-throated, 11.
Hoopoe, African, 12.
Hoplopterus speciosus, 17.
Hornbill, Ground, 12.

, Red-billed, 12.

Hypochera funerea, 1.

Ibis, Green, 9.

, Wood, 18.

Indicator major, 11.

K.

Kestrel, South African, 10.
Kingfisher, Angola, 12.

• , Giant, 12.

■ , Grey 'headed, 6.

. , Half-collared, 12.

, Malachite, 12.

, Pied, 12.

Kite, Black-shouldered 3.
Knobbilled Duck, 17.
Korhaau, Red Crested, 17.
Kurrichaine Button Quail, 19.

Lamprocolius phoen{coj)terus
bispecnlaris, 13.

Lanius collaris kumeralis, 13.
Lanner, South African, .5.
Lapwing, Crowned, 8, 17.
Lesser Courser, 8.

puff-back Shrike, 13.

Red - shouldered Glossy

Starling, 13.

Speckled Coly, 11.

Levaillant's Grass-Warbler, 14.
Lilac-breasted Roller, 12.
Limnocorax niyer, 4, 18.
Little Bee-eater, 12.

Sparrow-Hawk, 3, 10.

Longclaw, Cape, 14.

, Yellow-throated, 14.

Long- tailed Bush-Shrike, 13.
Lophoceros erythrorhynchiis, 12.
Lojyhoetus occipitalis, 10.
Lourie, Cape, 11.

, Grey, 11.

, Purple-crested, 11.

M.

Macronyx capensis, 14.

croeeus, 14.

Magpie, 26.

Malachite Kingfisher, 12.

Sunbird, 14.

Marsh Owl, 10.

Martial Hawk-Eagle, 10.

Masked Weaver, 13.

Melittophagus meridionalis, 12.

Merlin, 27.

Ilerops apiaster, 12.

nuhicoides, 12,

Metallic-spotted Dove, 10.
Motacilla capemis, 14.

N.

Narina Trogon, 11.
Natal Coucal, 11.

Francolin, 19.

Grass-AYarbh-'r, 11.

NAME INDEX.

43

Nata], Robin Chat, 2.
Nectarinia famosa, 14.
Nightjar, Freckled, 12.

, South African, 12.

, Standard Wing, 2.

Nilaus brubrii, 13.
Northern Fiskal Shrike, 13.

Fted-necked Pheasant, 10.

Numida coronata, 10, 18.

O.
(Edicnemus capensis, 9, 17.
Oli^e-coloured Sunbird, 14.

Weaver, 13.

Orange-breasted Waxbill, 1.
Oriole, Black-headed, 13.

, Golden, 13, 26,

Oriolus galbula, 26.

larvatus, 13.

oriolus, 13.

oriolus, 26.

Otis afr aides, 9, 18.

kori, 9.

inelanoy aster , 9.

ruficrista, 17.

Owl, Barn, 26.

, Cape Barn, 10.

, Scops, 3, 10.

, Grass, 10.

, Marsh, 10.

Oxpecker, Red-billed, 13,

Painted Snipe, 32.
Paradise Flycatcher, 12.
Partridge, Common, 26.
Partis major newtoni, 27.
Perdiv perdix perdix, 26.
Peter's Finfoot, 4.
PJialaerocorax africanus, 4.
Pheasant, Northern Red-necked, 10.
Pica pica pica, 26.
PiedBarbet, 11.

Crow, 13.

. Kingfisher, 12.

Pigeon, Cape Fruit, 10.

, Rock, 10.

, Speckled, 10.

Pin-tailed Widow Bird, 14.
Pipit, Plain-backed, 14.
Pisorhina capensis, 10.
Plain-backed Pipit, 14.
Platystira cyanea, 32.
Plectropterus ffambensis, 8.

Ploceus capensis olivaceus, 1 3.

ocidaris, 13.

velatus, 13.

Plover, Blacksmith, 17.

, Grey, 4.

, Three-collared, 4.

Podica p)etersi, 4.

Pomatorhynchus australis, 13.

Pratiiicola torquatus, 15.

orientalis, 15.

Pratincole, Black-winged, 4.

Prinia hypoxantha, 15.

Pternistes sivainsoni, 10, 18.

Pterocles bicinctiis, 9, 18.

Purple-crested Lourie, 11.

Pycnonotus barbatm layardi, 14.

Pyrenestes grantii, 1 .

Pyromelana atrix, 13.

Q.

Quail, African, 19.

, Kurrichaine Button, 19.

Qiielea erythrops, 1.

R.

Raven, White-necked, 13.
Red-billed Hornbill, 12.

Oxpecker, 13.

■ -Teal, 16.

Bishop Bird, 13.

chested Cuckoo, 3.

Crested Korhaan, 17.

eyed Turtle-Dove, 10.

-faced Go\j, 11.

-shouldered Widow Bird, 14.

44

NAME INDEX.

Redwing, 28.

Starling, 13.

Robin, 26.
Rock Pigeon, 10.
Roller, Lilac-breasted, 12.
Rostratula bengalensis, 32.

capensis, 33.

Rufous Courser, 17.

S.

Saffron-breasted Wren- Warbler, 15.
Sandgrouse, Double-banded, 9, 18.
Sandpiper, Common, 9.
Surhidiornis inelanotus, 17.
Scops capensis, 3.
Scopus umhretta, 9, 18.
Shrike, Black-headed Bush, 2.

, Burbur Bush-, 13.

, Lesser puff -back, 13.

, Long-tailed Bush-, 13.

, Northern Fiskal, 13.

, Three-streaked Bush-, 13.

Smith's Warbler, 14.
Snipe, Painted, 32.
Song Thrush, 26, 28.
South African Kestrel, 10.

Launer, -5.

Nightjar, 12.

Stone Chat, 15.

Sparrow-IIawk, Little, 3, 10.
Speckled Pigeon, 10.
Spizaetus helUcosus, 10.
Spur-wing Goose, 8.
Squatarola helvetica, 4.
Standard Wing Nightjar, 2.
Starling, Lesser Red-shouldered
Glossy, 13.

, Redwing, 13.

Stephanihyx coronatus, 8, 17.
Stork, White, 9.

• , White-bellied, 4.

Streptopelia turtur, 26.

fStrix capensis, 10.

Jlammca macidaia, 10.

Sunbird, Black, 14.

, Malachite, 14.

, Olive-coloured, 14.

Swainson's Reckneck Francolin, 18.

Swallow, 22, 33.

Swempie, 19.

Swift, 26.

• , A-frican, 2.

T.

Tambourine Dove, 4, 10.
Tantalus ibis, 18.
Tchitrea perspicillata, 12.
Teal, Red-billed, 16.
Telephonus senerjnlus, 2.
Thanwiolea bifasciata, 1-5.
Tlieristicus hagedash, 9.
Thickknee, Cape, 9, 17.
Three-collared Plover, 4.

streaked Bush-Shrike, 13.

Thrush, Song, 26, 28.
Totanits, 28.

glottis, 4.

Ti'icholcema leucoinelan, 11.
Tringa ulpina, 28.

minuta, 28.

temminckii, 28.

Trinyoides hj/poleucos, 9.
Trogon, Narina, 11.
Turacus corgthai.v, 11.

ruspolii, 31.

Turdus iliac us, 28.

philonielus clarkei, 26, 28.

Turnix lepurana, 19.
Turtle-Dove, 26.

, Cape, 10.

, Red-eyed, 10.

Turtur capicola, 10.

communis, 26.

semitorqmttus, 10.

lymiJanistvia bicolor, 4.

tympanistria, 10.

Tijio alba alba, 20.

NAME INDEX.

45

U.

Upnpa afrtcana, 12.
Urceyinthus angolensis, 14.
Urobrachya axillaris, 14.
Urolestea melanoleucus, 13.

Vidua Serena, 14,
Vinago delalandei, 10.

W.

Wagtail, Cape, 14.

Warbler, Levaillant's Grass-, 15.

, Natal Grass-, 14.

, Saffron-breasted Wren-, 15.

■ , Smith's, 14.

Waxbill, Blue-breasted, 14.

, Common, 14.

, Orange-breasted, 1.

Weaver, Bottle-nest, 13.

, Masked, 13.

• , Olive, 13.

White-bellied Stork, 4.

eye. Green, 14.

faced Duck, 16.

flanked Flycatcher, 12.

necked Raven, 13.

quilled Bustard, 9, 18.

Stork, 9.

Widow Bird, Pin-tailed, 14.

, Red-shouldered, 14.

Wood Ibis, 18.
Woodpecker, Cardinal, 11,

, Ground, 11.

Wren-Warblor, Saffron - breasted,
15.

Y.

Yellow-billed Egret, 9.

throated Honeyguide, 11.

Longclaw, 14.

Zoster ops virens, 14.

PRINTED BY TAYLOR AND FRANCIS, RED U0.\ COURT, FLEET STREET, E.C.

Vol. X. No. 1. DECEMBER 1914. Price 8s.

THE JOURNAL

OF THE

EDITED BY

A. K. HAAGNER, F.Z.S.,

Col. Member British Ornithologists' Union ;
Hon. Mem. Royal Hungarian Bureau of Ornithology,

AND

B. G. R. LANGFORD.

CONTENTS.

Pagk
I. Additional List of Notes oa Birds collected and observed in Ziiubiti

District, Port. East Africa. By P. A. Sheppard 1

II. Singular Plumage in young Female Lanner (F. biarmicus). By B. C.

R. Langford. (Plate I.) ^

III. Additions to the List of the Avifauna of the Matatiele District, Jlast

Griqualand. By C. G. Davies, M.B.O.U 6

IV. A List (vpith Notes) of the Birds of the Sabi District, Eastern Transvaal.

By Capt. J. 0. Ingle, F.Z.S 8

V. Notes on some of the Game- and Water-Birds of the Pretoria Bushveld.

By Alwin Haagner, F.Z.S., Col.M.B.O.U., &c. (Plate IL) 15

VI. On the Breeding in Captivity of the Kurrichaine Button Quail. By F.

E. O. Mors 19

VII. Occasional Notes -2

VIII. Short Notices of Ornithological Pubhcations 31

IX. Proceedings of the Union 34

Indices.

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PRESIDENT.

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VICE-PRESIDENTS.
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for Transvaal Prov.
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HON. SECRETARY AND TREASURER.

Alwin Haagner, F.Z.S., CoI.M.B.O.lT.

(Tran.svaal Zoological Gardens, Pretoria, Transva.il.)

HON. EDITORS.

B. C. E. Langpord.
A. K. Haagner.

MEMBERS OF COUNCIL
C. G. Davies, M.B.O.U. (Cape Prov.)
Austin Roberts. (Transvaal.)
Roland Chambers. (O.F.S. Prov.)
Dr. J. E. Briscoe. (Natal.)
Rev. S. S. Dornan, M.A. (Rhodesia.)
J. P. Murray. (Basutoland.)
P. A, Sheppard. (Portuguese S.E. Africa.)

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