his greater chance, took to the water, and would not be driven from
it. Mr. Rickard tells us that he once saw it on the sandy beach not
far from Port Elizabeth, in considerable numbers, there being some
twelve or fifteen.
General colour, very dark brownish-green, shot with green and
coppery reflections j belly, thighs, and vent-feathers, pure white;
bill, space round the eyes, chin, and legs, red. Length, 3' 8": wino-
1' 10"; tail, 11". S’
Fig. Dresser, B. Eur. vi, pi. 403.
707. C iconia a b d im ii, Licht. White-bellied Stork.
We have not seen this bird from any locality, save the Zambesi,
whence it was brought by Mr. Chapman, who informs us it is excellent
eating, and is found in vast numbers about the borders of Lake
N’gami. Mr. Jameson’s expedition met with it on the Makara River
in January, and Mr. Ayres writes: | Prom here all the way down
the Hart River to Spalding’s we found these birds by myriads
in large flocks feeding on beetles, grasshoppers, and caterpillars.
Although they were excessively fat, their flesh was not good eating!
We saw this Stork also in some numbers in Matabele Land in
December. They frequent open grassy conntry in the neighbourhood
of rivers and swamps. On hot days they often soar to an •
immense height, appearing as mere specks in the clear blue sky as
they wheel slowly round and round.” Mr. Prank Oates procured a
specimen at Sibanani. The foflowing note is given by Mr. Anders-
son:—«This somewhat coarse but handsome Stork arrives in
Damara Land during the rainy season, leaving it again on the
approach of the dry. The more plentiful the rain the more abundant
the birds, the cause being simply the greater abundance of food.
This species feeds largely on locusts, but devours with equal gusto
beetles of all kinds, many hundreds of which I have taken from the
stomach of a single bird; it also devours small reptiles, water-rats,
fish, and frogs, but appears to prefer locusts when these are to be
had, chasing them on the ground as well as in the air. On such
occasions these Storks may be seen in thousands gyrating in immense
circles, and, as it were, in different strata, the lower frequently flying
within range of the fowling-piece whilst the eye rests painfully on the
higher as mere specks in the air.”
Senor Anchieta has also procured it at Capongombe and Quillengues,
and at Humbe on the River Cunene; it is called at the two last-
mentioned places, “ Humbi-humbi.”
Above, greenish-purple; neck brown, with purplish-gloss; all the
under parts white; chin, bare part of forehead, space round the eye,
and tip of bill, orange-red; the rest of the bill greenish; bare space
round the eye, blue. Length, 2' 9"; wing, 16".
Fig. Cretzschm. in Riippell’s Atlas, tab. 9.
708. C ic o n ia ep isco pu s (Bodd.). White-headed Stork.
Giconia leucocephala, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 315.
This bird appears rather frequently in Natal; but we have not
met with it in this colony, nor in any collection made to the westward
or in the Interior. It could not have passed us unnoticed, as-
we are well acquainted with it from seeing it in Ceylon. Mr. J.
Yerreaux informed us that he procured it in Algoa Bay.
Mr. Ayres states that in Natal it “ frequents the bays and swamps
along the coast (occasionally coming inland). As the tide recedes
they wade into the water after crabs and small shell-fish, of which
(especially the first) their food principally consists. They are
gregarious, and not so shy and cunning as most of the Waders; the
flesh is coarse, and not good eating. The stomach of the specimen
sent contained a large quantity of the shells of small crabs, a few
small shell-fish, and a very few fish-bones.” Senor Anchieta has
met with it at Quillengues and at Huilla, at all of which places it is
called Hombo.
Violet-black, shining-green ; plumes of lower neck, blackish-green,
long, wide, truncated, violet-purple at the tip ; forehead, chin, and
neck, white; belly and rump, white; top and back of head, black ;
tail white; the webs of the four outside feathers, black,3 shiningOcoppery.
Length, 2\' •, wing, 18|".
Fig. Gray and Mitch. Gen. B. iii, pi. 78.
709. M y c t er ia sen eg a l en s is , Shaw. African Jabiru.
We saw a single example of this fine Stork on the Kleinmont
River, and though it never allowed either Dr. Atherston or myself
to approach within gun-shot of it, we scanned it for some time
through our binoculars. Mr. Ayres writes: “ The Jabiru is a very
scarce bird in Natal; a pair are occasionally seen at low water on
the mud-banks in the centre of the bay, and when here they also