crabs. The late Mr. Andersson procured several specimens at the
Knysna, where also Victorin found it in March and April. Mr.
Ayres has procured the species in Natal and the Transvaal, it being
found in the former country not far from the coast, where it frequents
rivers and lakes. Captain Shelley says:—“ I met with a
pair of these gigantic Kingfishers amongst, the low bushes between
Durban and the Conguella, and procured them both. They kept
entirely to the small streams, and when disturbed flew only for a
short distance, returning again to the same haunt as soon as they
fancied they were out of danger.” Dr. Kirk says that throughout
the Zambesi region, it was observed on the courses of the rivers.
According to Mr. Andersson it is occasionally found in Damara
Land on the Teoughe River and also on the Okavango, but is everywhere
very shy. Senor Anchieta records it from Humbe on the
Cunene River. I t is not uncommon on the Quanza, where, we are
informed by Mr. Monteiro, “ it may be seen generally on the bare or
dead branches of trees overhanging the river, sitting upright, with
its head at nearly right angles with its body, and the crest is prominently
exhibited.” On the Congo, however, it appears to be represented
by Geryle sharpii.
The food of this large Kingfisher consists of crabs, frogs, reptiles,
and fish. Mr. Atmore writes :—“ I once found one of these birds
with his bill shattered, evidently from striking his prey in too shallow
water.”
Adult male.—Above slaty-black, darker on the head, which is
crested; most of the crest feathers with good sized white spots upon
both webs, towards the nape some of the feathers in very old birds
unspotted; back and scapularies clearer slaty-grey, a few shaft
stripes very plainly developed, and all the feathers spotted with
white, some of the spots being more longitudinal bars; the lesser
wing-coverts slaty-grey with a heart-shaped spot of black in the
centre of the feather; the rest of the wing coverts black, edged
with slaty-grey and conspicuously spotted with white; quills blackish,
the inner web white at the base and broadly edged with slaty-
grey and spotted with white ; a small spot in front of the eye, throat
and a fine of feathers from the base of the lower mandible down the
sides of the neck, pure white, the latter varied with longitudinal
black marks; cheeks and a line of feathers below the last mentioned
line of white and black feathers, black, the former narrowly, and the
latter broadly varied with white; lower part of the throat and chest
rich rufous, the sides varied with slaty-grey, the feathers spotted with
white; flanks white banded with slaty-grey; under wing and tail-
coverts white with an occasional black spot ; centre of the abdomen
and vent pure white ; bill black j feet dark olive brown j irides nearly
black. . Total'length, 14*8 inches; of bill from front, 3*5, from gape,
4*3; wing, 8-0 ; tail, 5'3 ; tarsus, 0*4 ; middle toe, 1*0 ; hind toe,
0*3.A
dult female.-^-Similar to the male, but instead of the upper part
of the chest being rufous, it is replaced by a broad slate-coloured
band, each feather being banded with white ; below this there is a
white band, and the rest of the under surface of the body with the
under wing and tail-coverts is rufous. Total length, 16*5 inches; of
bill from front, 3*5; from gape, 4*5 j wing, 8*0; tail, 4*75; tarsus,
0*4; middle toe, 1*0; hind toe, 0*3.
Young /emaZe.—Similar to the adult female, but has the feathers
of the band on the breast darker and edged with white, the whole
band tinged with rufous.
You/ng male.—Similar to the young female, but has the abdomen
and under wing and tail-coverts white. From an examination of
several young males we are induced to believe that as the bird advances
in age the rufous colouring of the under wing-coverts becomes
pure white as in the adult male ; then the abdomen loses the rufous
colouring, the flanks and under tail-coverts becoming slaty-grey
barred and spotted with white, the latter again in very old birds
becoming pure white. At jthe same time the black feathers on the
upper part of the breast disappear, being replaced by a rufous
band.
Fig. Sharpe, Monogr. Alced. pi. 20.
107. I s pid in a NATAtENSis. Natal Kingfisher.
Halcyon cyanotis, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 64.
Alcedo natalensis, Layard, t. c. p. 66.
Sir Andrew Smith, who first described this species, states that it
“ inhabits the banks of rivers, &c., to the eastward of Cafferland.”
The Leiden Museum also has it from Caffraria, but the greater number
of the specimens which we have seen have been from Natal,
where, according to Captain Shelley, “ it is rather more plentiful
I