110 BAL^NICIPITID^. AKDEID^, 



Ois. ii. p. 514 (I880) ; Sharpe, Cat. Birds B. M. xxvi. p. 288 (1898) ; 

 id. Haiid-l. i. p. 193 (1899). 



The eggs of the Hammer-headed Stork appear to be usually 

 •of an elliptical shape, but some are oval. They are dull white in 

 colour, rather smooth to the touch, very slightly pitted with pores, 

 and perfectly without gloss. They measure from 1"63 to 1*9 in 

 length, and from 1*17 to 1"42 in breadth. 



1. South Africa. E. L. Layard, Esq. [P.]. 



1. Colenso, Natal. Capt. Savile Reid [P.]. 



1. Callebas Laagte, Natal, yOth May. Capt. Savile Reid |_P.]I 



4. Betsileo, Madagascar. Rev. W. Deans Cowan [P.]. 



Sub-Order BALMNICIPITES. 

 Family BAL^NICIPITID^. 



Genus BAL.ffiNICEPS, Gould. 



Balseniceps rex, Gould. 



Balseniceps rex, Scl. P. Z. S. 1859, p. 353 ; Pdherick, Ibis, 1859, p. 171 ; 

 Sharpe, ed. Layard, Birds >S. Africa, p. 727 (1875-84) ; id. Cat. 

 Birds B. M. xxvi. p. 287 (1898);' id. Hand-l. i. p. 193 (1899). 



An egg of the Whale-headed Stork in the Collection is of a 

 l)lunt oval form, approaching the elliptical. It is much stained, 

 but was apparently, when fresh, dull white in colour. The shell 

 is coarse and chalky and has no gloss. This example measures 

 3-6 by 2-3. 



1. White Nile (Petherick). Salvin-Godman Coll. 



Sub-Order ARDEM. 

 Family ARDEIU^. 



The eggs of the Herons and Bitterns are indifferently of an oval, 

 elliptical, or biconical shape, and in every large series eggs of these 

 three shapes will be found to be about equally represented. The 

 texture of the shell is somewhat rough and chalkj-. 



The eggs are always unspotted and, with few exceptions, of a 

 blue colour. Wheu the series is large, the majority of the speci- 

 mens will be found to be of the same blue colour as the eggs of the 

 Common Heron (Ardea cinerea) and Notoplwyx novie-hollanditB 

 (Plate V. fig. 1), but a few will be paler, resembling the egg of 



