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Show 1866.] MR. P. L. SCLATER ON SOUTH AFRICAN BIRDS. 21 2. Report on Birds collected at Windvogelberg, South Africa, by Captain G. E. Bulger, C.M.Z S. By P. L. S C L A T E R, M.A., Ph.D., F.B.S., & c , Secretary to the Society. Our Corresponding Member, Capt. G. E. Bulger, forwarded to me some time back a small collection of bird-skins made at Windvogelberg, in British Kaffraria. Not being myself specially acquainted with African birds, I have submitted Capt. Bulger's series to the examination of my friend Dr. Hartlaub of Bremen, our leading authority on this subject, who has kindly determined the species. Two of them proved to be new to science, one of which (Saxicola spectabilis) has been already described in these ' Proceedings ;' the other (Hemipteryx immaculata) is characterized below. Capt. Bulger sends me the following account of the locality where his specimens were collected :- " Windvogelberg is a lofty and almost isolated mountain of British Kaffraria, 5344 feet above the level of the sea, and situated in 32° 17' 50" S. lat. and 27° 7' 3" E. long. It lies about twenty miles north of the great Amatola range, and rather more than three leagues to the southward of the Kei River, which separates Kaffraria from Kaffirland and the province of N e w Victoria. The country in its neighbourhood is almost entirely destitute of trees, being, for many miles to the south and east, a vast extent of grass-covered land, misnamed "flats," inasmuch as they are throughout characterized by strongly marked undulations almost amounting to the dignity of hills and valleys. To the northward and westward these deep rolling swells assume the magnitude of mountains, with high krantzes*, and strange-looking naked peaks, here and there relieving the generally monotonous features of the country. " The lonely little post at the foot of the Windvogelberg is at present (Jan. 1864) the most advanced station occupied by the Queen's troops, though the white settlements extend much further; and its garrison consists of eighty men of the 2nd Battalion, 10th Regiment, and seven of the Cape Mounted Rifles. " The D o o m or Thorn River runs within a few miles of the barracks, the nearest elbow being about 3000 yards distant; and a small brook comes down through a deep kloof f in the mountain, and supplies the post with water. The banks of both these streams are, in some parts, rocky, and those of the latter are decked with small trees and bushes for a short distance. There are some enormous krantzes on the mountain, and here and there dense patches of shrubby vegetation. Amongst the former, Rock Rabbits (Hyrax capensis) make their secure and inaccessible homes ; and small birds of various kinds occupy the latter in considerable numbers. Rock-Thrushes (Petro-cincla) and Red-breasted Woodpeckers (Geocolaptes arator) are abundant on the highest pinnacles ; and on the scattered stones below, Saxicolce of several kinds are always to be found." * Krantz, a preci'pice. f Kloof, a ravine. |
