from the Colony of Natal. 355 



243. Strepsilas interpres, Linn. Turnstone. 



Female. Bill black ; tarsi and feet bright orange-red. There 

 is under the skin a curious formation of flesh, between and 

 around the eyes. This bird frequents the sea-shore. 



244. Grus carunculata, Gmel. Cafi"re Crane. 



Iris orange-yellow ; bill light reddish brown ; bare warty skin 

 at the base of the bill dull red ; thighs, tarsi, and feet black. 



The CafFre Cranes are plentiful inland, but are seldom, if 

 ever, seen on the coast. They may be found on the open plains, 

 sometimes singly, at other times twenty or thirty in a flight. 

 They appear to feed on grain and insects, preferring the former 

 when attainable. They fly with neck and legs outstretched, 

 the beat of their wings being very quick, considering the size of 

 the bird ; and during their flight, if in sufficient numbers, they 

 form the usual letter V, like Swans and Geese. 



245. Gallinago nigripennls, Bon. South-African Snipe. 



Male. Iris brown ; bill dark brown ; tarsi and feet dull yel- 

 lowish green. This Snipe was killed inland. Its flight was 

 precisely like that of the common English Snipe. Its stomach 

 contained small insects and pebbles. 



246. Fuligula brunnea, Eyton. Brown Pochard. 

 Female. Iris very dark hazel; bill ash-colour, dusky at the 



base ; tarsi and feet dark ash-colour. Shot in November on the 

 Sea-cow Lake. 



247. Prion banksii (Smith). Banks^s Petrel. 



Female. Iris dark blue ; bill dark ash or slate-colour. Many 

 hundreds of these birds were cast ashore here dead in August 

 1862. Those which I saw were much emaciated, having evi- 

 dently been weakened by want of food, and thus rendered unable 

 to fly or to combat the stormy seas, and at length dying from 

 sheer exhaustion. Now and then one was cast ashore alive, but 

 died soon afterwards. 



248. Phalacrocorax capensis, Sparrm. Cape Cormorant. 

 Male. Iris bluish white ; bill pale, dusky on the ridge ; 



tarsi and feet black. Thousands of these Cormorants appeared 

 on the coast and in our bay at the latter end of the year 1862, 



