Mr. T. Ay res on the Ornithology of Transvaal. 285 



also in the circumstance of the conspicuous black spots on 

 the interscapular feathers being almost entirely free from 

 the intermixture of white, with which these spots are usually 

 varied both in S. assimilis and in S. flammea. 



I may add that this last peculiarity is wanting in an other- 

 wise very similar Transvaal specimen preserved in the British 

 Museum, and described by Mr. Sharpe in his interesting 

 paper on the Geographical Distribution of the Barn-Owls 

 [vide ' Ornithological Miscellany/ vol. i. p. 289). 



In the same paper Mr. Sharpe remarks that the Barn-Owl 

 " does not seem to have been procured in Natal by Mr. Ayres 

 or by any other collector.^^ This, however, is not entirely 

 accurate, as the Norwich Museum possesses an adult male 

 obtained in Natal by Mr. Gueinzius. It is a bird of the 

 ordinary South-African type, and does not present any 

 remarkable peculiarities. — J. H. G.] 



285. Merops superciliosus, Linn. Blue-cheeked Bee- 

 eater. 



Male, shot 12th April. Irides crimson; bill black; tarsi 

 and feet pale dusky. 



286. DiCROcERCus HiRUNDiNACEUS (VicilL). Swallow- 

 tailed Bee-eater. 



Male and female, shot 2nd June. Irides bright crimson ; 

 bill black ; tarsi and feet greyish dusky. 



This pair I shot in my garden amongst the fruit-trees ; 

 they appeared to sit stationary on a bough, and every now 

 and then to dart upon any insect flying past that took their 

 fancy. Their stomachs were well-filled with bluebottles. 



These are the first birds of the kind I have seen in this 

 part of the country. 



287. HiRUNDO DiMiDiATA, Suudcv. Pcarly-breastcd Swal- 

 low. 



Male, shot in August in the Marico district, the first of 

 these Swallows that I have met with in Transvaal. 



HiRUNDO ALBiGULA, Bp. Whitc-tliroated Swallow. 

 Irides very dark umber-brown ; bill black ; tarsi and feet 

 dusky black. This is the first of the migratory Swallows to 



