Dr. J. Kirk on the Birds of the Zambesi Region. 333 



Fam. CAPRIMULGID^. 



61. Caprimulgus natalensis. 

 Obtained in the plains near the sea-coast. 



62. COSMETORNIS VEXILLARIUS. 



The Cosmetornis was first observed about 300 miles up the 

 Zambesi, a little above Tete, on the Kehrabassa Rapids, in No- 

 vember 1858, and was there decidedly common. It was again 

 met with on the western side of LakeNyassa (lat. 12° to 13° S.), 

 where, in September and October, it was very common, being 

 seen in flocks of from 15 to 20. It was also common at Chibisa 

 on the Shir^, in lat. 16° S. It was only during the months from 

 October until January that the singular prolongations of the 

 wing-feathers were observed. These are peculiar to the males. 

 Like other Nightjars, the habits of the Cosmetornis are crepus- 

 cular. It catches insects on the wing, and frequents bushy lands 

 and the vicinity of water. When started during the day from 

 the ground where they always rest, they fly swiftly to a little 

 distance and again settle, but are extremely difficult to follow 

 with the eye. Not so the males when in full plumage ; in their 

 case there is no difficulty ; their flight is evidently retarded, and 

 they become prominent objects from the long streamers waving 

 behind them. A deviation from the usual habits of this bird 

 was observed when cruising on the Nyassa. On two occasions 

 being overtaken in a gale, and riding out a short but dangerous 

 sea which set in and raised a surf on the shore, through which 

 it was impossible to land, the male birds came off in flocks of 

 about fifteen, and flew over the surface of the water. On no 

 other occasion have I seen them take wing of their own accord, 

 or keep on the wing during the day. 



Fam. TROGONIDiE. 



63. Hapaloderma narina. Native name, " MVoraio." 



In the Zambesi region a decidedly rare bird : I know of only 

 four specimens having been seen ; one in the Zambesi delta, the 

 others at Chibisa, on the Shire. It seems to frequent trees. 



