Mr. Atmore assures us that it is plentiful at Swellendam, and that
when he is digging in his garden, specimens may always be seen
perched on the trees near him, from which they dart down on the
worms, slugs, etc. which he turns up with his spade. Mr. Ayres
writes :—“ These birds frequent the bush in Natal, generally perching
on some dead or bare bough not far from the ground ; they do not
take their prey on the wing, but take it from the ground. They have
a loud chattering note, somewhat similar to the Laughing Jackass of
South Australia, but do not laugh in the same ludicrous manner;
they have a dipping flight, seldom flying far at once.” Eggs sent by
Mr. L. Layard and Mr. Harford were white but not so shiny as those
of Geryle rud/is. Axis, 1’2, diam. l -0.
Adult.—Head dark brown, broadly striped with darker brown,
becoming nearly black; scapularies and wing-coverts black ; lower
part of the back and rump bright cobalt; quills brownish-black,
the inner web pale orange at the base, the primaries at the base of,
and the secondaries for the whole of the outer web, as | well as the
primary coverts, bright cobalt; tail cobalt above, black beneath, the
inner web of all but the two middle feathers more or less black at
the edge; feathers from the base of the nostril extending backwards
over the eye, cheeks and a collar round the neck pale yellowish-
brown with distinct longitudinal bars; throat and abdomen white
with faint lines marking the shaft of the feather; breast and flanks
tinged with yellowish-brown and marked with very broad and distinct
longitudinal stripes ; under wing- and tail-coverts pale orange,
lighter on the latter; bill crimson, black towards the tip; eye dark
brown; feet dark red. Total length, 10 inches; of bill from front,
1-85; from gape, 2'3 ; wing, 4'2; tail, 2'7; tarsus, 0'5; middle toe,
0-6 ; hind toe, 0’3.
Fig. Sharpe, Monogr. Alced. pi. 65.
110. H alcyon o r ien ta l is . Peters’ Kingfisher.
This species is closely allied to Halcyon albiventris, and like it has
a striped head, but is distinguished by its uniform whitish undersurface.
Although not included in Dr. Kirk’s Zambesi list, there is a
specimen in Lord Walden’s collection from that locality, obtained,
we believe, by the late Dr. Meller. It was originally discovered by
Dr, Peters in Mozambique, and ranges as high as Mombas, where
Baron Von der Decken procured specimens. Curiously enough, it
has recently been shot on the Loango Coast in Western Africa, by
the German Exploring Expedition.
Admit male.—Headlight brown, striped with dark brown along the
shaft of each feather; rump and upper tail-coverts bright blue; quills
light brown, the inner web pale orange at the base, the outer web
edged with bright blue, more especially on the secondaries; tail
greenish blue above, blackish beneath; a loral spot produced backwards
over the eye, sides of and a collar round the neck, and the
entire under surface white, inclining to fulvous on the flanks, and
purest on the throat and upper part of the breast; bill dusky-vermilion;
feet orange. Total length, 8'5 inches; of bill from front,
1*65; from gape, 2-2; wing, 4'0; tail, 2-4 ; tarsus, 0-5 ; middle toe,
0’7; hind toe, 0-35.
Fig. Sharpe, Monogr. Alced. pi. 66.
111. H alcyon c h il ic u t e n s is . Striped Kingfisher.
Halycon striolata, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 64.
This is a small species of the same peculiar African group as the
two preceding ones. It has a red beak and a striped head, but it has
the scapulars brown at all ages, and is further distinguished from
them by its smaller size. This Kingfisher is found all over the continent,
but South African specimens are always larger than those
from North Eastern or Western Africa: we do not, however, consider
them specifically distinct.
The late Mr. Jules Verreaux states that “ it is everywhere common
near Kurrichaine, Latakoo, and the Vaal River, and is also met with
commonly in Natal.” If the species was plentiful in the latter
country at the time of the writer’s sojourn in South Africa, it cannot
be said to be so now, for Mr. Ayres has never met with it there,
nor did it occur to Captain Shelley during his recent visit to the
colony. Mr. Ayres has, however, procured it on the Limpopo, and
Mr. T. E. Buckley shot a male bird in the Transvaal, in July, 1873.
In the Zambesi region, Dr. Kirk informs us that it is widely distributed,
being equally common on the sea coast among the mangroves,
and near the rivers far in the interior as well as in the plains. Mr.
Andersson writes :—“ This Kingfisher is very sparingly met with in
Damara Land and the parts adjacent to the northward; it is partial