ALCEDINID^. 59 



73. Ceryle maxima, Pall. Great African Kingfisher. 



Cerijle maxima, Gurney, in Ibis, 1859, p. 243. 



„ „ Layard's Cat. No. 109. 



Alcedo gigantea, Chapman's Travels in S. Afr., App. p. 409. 

 Ceryle maxima, Sharpe's Alcedinidse, pi. 20. 



„ „ Shai-pe's Cat. No. 47. 



The Great Kingfisher is occasionally found on the 

 Teoughe River and also on the Okavango, but is every- 

 where very shy. 



74. Ceryle mdis (Linn.). Black-and- White Kingfisher. 



Ceryle ruclis, Layard's Cat. No. 110. 



Ceryle bicincta, Chapman's Travels in S. Afr,, App. p. 409. 

 Ceryle rudis, Sharpe's Alcedinidje, pi. 19. 

 „ „ Sharpe's Cat. No. 46. 



I do not remember to have seen this bird in Damara 

 Land proper, but have occasionally met with it along 

 the periodical watercourses and temporary rain-pools of 

 Great Namaqua Land ; and I have reason to think that 

 it may be found permanently on the banks of the Great 

 Fish River, where large pools of water, containing fish 

 exist at all times of the year. It frequents both salt and 

 fresh water, and feeds on fish, shrimps, small crabs, &c., 

 for which it watches from some dry branch of a tree 

 immediately overhanging the water. It breeds in the 

 sandy and clayey banks of rivers, and is comparatively 

 tame. The iris is dark brown. 



Measurements of a male and a female : — 



