34 Mr. J, H. Gurney on additional Species of Birds 



172. H^MATOPUs MOQUiNi, Bp. African Black Oyster- 

 catcher. 



Male. Iris, eyelid, and bill scarlet; tarsi and feet pink. 

 These curious birds are very scarce in Natal ; they frequent the 

 seashore, are active in their habits, and run with considerable 

 swiftness; they feed along the sandy beaches; on the receding 

 of a wave they run quickly into the shallow water, and inserting 

 their wedge-shaped bill up to their heads in the sand, haul out 

 small crabs, which having secured they run high and dry to 

 devour at leisure. 



173. Mycteria senegalensis (Shaw). Saddle-bill Jabiru. 

 Female. Iris bright yellow ; base of bill to nostril bright 



crimson, as is also the skin round the eye and under the bill 

 (the bill, from the nostril for 3| inches, is black ; from thence to 

 the tip bright crimson) ; frontal shield bright yellow ; shanks and 

 tarsi black ; knees and feet brickdust red ; the bare spot on the 

 breast bright crimson. 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 frequent 

 the lagoons and marshes at the mouths of the rivers. If one of 

 the pair happens to get shot, its place is not supplied by another, 

 but the solitary bird may be seen feeding by himself, when he 

 attempts to make friends with the Violet Storks, which seem to 

 be rather afraid of their gigantic relation. Occasionally when the 

 pair are feeding together, they stop suddenly and skip or dance 

 round and round in a small circle, then stopping to bow to each 

 other, again resume their quaint dance. Their food consists of 

 crabs, shrimps, and small fish. 



174. Philomachus pugnax (Linn.). Buff. 



Female. Iris dark brown ; bill very dark brown ; thighs, 

 tarsi and feet yellowish ash (in other specimens green, and in 

 some slate-coloured). These birds are gregarious, frequenting 

 the bay and the coast, and feeding on the mud-banks at low 

 water ; marine insects appear to be their favourite food. 



175. Tringa subarquata (Gmel.). Curlew Sandpiper. 

 Male. Iris dark brown ; tarsi and feet black. These birds 



are gregarious, frequenting the bay in considerable flights, and 



