62 Mr. W. Ayres on Birds collected in the 



and in the Free State I generally met with them near home- 

 steads. They have a loud croaking note, 



402. Parra africana, Gmel. Greater African Jacana. 



Female, shot 30th July, 1885, at Masliupan river-drift 

 (Transvaal). Wing 7"05 inches, tarsus 2-80, middle toe 

 s.u. 2-90. 



I found these birds on most of the rivers and swamps 

 where there were suitable weeds and stagnant water; they 

 may be seen sometimes running along the edge of the water 

 picking up insects, and at other times walking on the leaves 

 of the water-lilies or on the thick weeds that float on the 

 surface of the still pools. 



Whilst watching one day for Sea-cows on the river 

 Mashupan, I had a good opportunity of observing one of 

 these birds for at least a quarter of an hour ; it was running 

 about on a bed of weeds that floated on the surface of the 

 pool just below me, and kept incessant^ turning with its 

 beak lily-leaves and branches of Aveed, and then pecking at, 

 no doubt, small water-insects or shells which adhered to the 

 lower surface of the leaves. Some of the bundles of weed 

 were heavy, and turning them over seemed quite hard work 

 for the bird; but it was very persevering, and not satisfied 

 till it had turned the weeds completely over. 



LiMNocoRAx NIGER (Licht.) . Black Crake. 



Female, shot June 1885 at Rovi-rand. 



I found a good many of these birds in the spruit at Rovi- 

 rand, and also in other small streams, where there were pools 

 of still water with weeds suitable to their habits ; they are 

 shy birds, and get away very quickly in the reeds on the 

 approach of danger ; when moving about on the feed, they 

 continually utter their note, chuck-cJmck-chuck. 



Ardea melanocephala, Vig. & Childr. Black-necked 

 Heron. 



Male and female, shot Gth May, 1885, at Unigoopie river, 

 Leibideila's, 



I found about ten of these Herons sitting on the top 



