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Jan., 1908 THE LOCUST-DESTROYiNG BIRDS OF TIlE TRANSVAAL 13 black wattles from which the bird takes its name. There is also another wattle on the top of the head and one on the forehead close to the upper mandible. Their presence always indicates locusts and if the supply is abundant the starlings will locate, build, and hatch their young. Unfortunately, however, it not infrequently happens that the supply of locusts runs short ere the nestli?ngs are fledged, with the result that numbers die from lack of food. The South African Kestrel (Tinnunculus rupicolus) is a persistent enemy and will follow a swarm of locusts for miles, strangely avoiding the main body of the insects, seizing only the stragglers or tail-enders. These hawks of course catch the_ insect with their claws and dine in mid air while still upon the wing. It is re- ported by.some of the earlier ornithologists that these hawks came from northern Africa, following the flights of locusts as they move southward, and being satisfied with their new quarters, took up their residence and became local varieties. The Guinea Fowl (JVumida coronala), so familiar in the bushes on the river banks, has not infrequently added a pleasant side dish to our scoff when on the up-country trek, we outpanned for the night, and, outstretched upon the grass, watched with impatient eyes our Kaffir boys prepare the evening meal. These birds, along with the legendary Otis kori, the Paauw of the Boers, the Crested Bustard of the ornithologist, a big bird of 30 or 40 pounds weight, but capable of outrunning, like our own famous ?eococcyx cal?or?ianus, a fleet horse; the Quail (Coturnix cape?tsis); the cape turtle dove (7urtur capicola); the Ha- dadah Ibis, and many others must all be credited as aids to the agriculturist, so per- sistent are they in the destruction of locusts. It would be an oversight even in this imperfect capitulation to omit reference to some of the "Tick Birds' '--selecting by courtesy the graceful and not uncom- mon White Egret or Tick Bird (t3ubulcus lucidus), a foe to the Voetganger, but not very effective inasmuch as they are dainty feeders, taking the precaution to "masti- cate" their prey before they swallow it, a slow process with the locusts in active flight. They are a very showy bird and when seen in the early dawn seem almost spirit-like as they glide past on their way to the feeding grounds. The red-billed Oxpecker, a Tick Bird, but perchance only by renown, an emergency enemy of the locust, is such an interesting species that it is certainly worthy of mention. It is a bird somewhat larger than an English sparrow, multi-colored in plumage, with a very pronounced undershading of rich gamboge tint. It is amusing to watch it as it hunts for its food, the ticks upon oxen, horses and mules. Scarcely have you outspanned than the red-bill is alight upon the animals' backs; off it goes on its tour of inspection, clambering over, around, underneath; examining all flexures of the joints, around the eyes, the insertion of the tail, and st?ch areas where t. he tender skin proves a favorite locality for the tick. Oftentimes have I been amused to see the little benefactor, with its head turned sidewise, peering into the anal socket, while the grateful animal lifts up the tail, only too glad to be freed from the dozen or more ticks which are invariably to be found in that region. The bird is very active, ever on the qui vive, and it is ? difficult to obtain a specimen, for if disturbed it darts from one animal to another with great rapidity, and one hesitates to shoot an ox simply to obtain a specimen of t3uphaga ery- lhrorhyncha. One day just when the setting sun was gilding the long stretches of vlei, across which we were driving, a large bird sprang out of the grass and ran rapidly ahead of us. Altho I had never seen one before, the pen behind its ear, its peculiar gait with tucked up hinder extremities, as if to keep it out of the wet, told me it